From the Sea of Souls
by Azhdah
Summary: There's no such thing as no such thing. You always said those words, as if it was your catch phrase... But really, just what have you done Greed?
1. Prologue: Of Gods and Devils

**A/N:** Hello once again folks from . And once more I am a terrible person. Not only have I not been updating my stories, but then I have to audacity to start a new one! Well, Sing Down the Abyss as I've said on my profile is getting a revamp. And Hira... Well, Naruto is still fricken' going with seemingly no end in sight and I just don't want to make any assumptions until I have all the facts. Which if you haven't read the manga is a lot by the way.

So, I have moved to a newer story which will hopefully get my writing creativity flowing again. It's 5 AM for me and I'm still cookin' so it's quite possible for the next chapter to be coming some time today. But as you've seen the work ethic with my other stories, I make no promises.

* * *

**From the Sea of Souls**

By: Azhdah

Prologue: Of Gods and Devils

...

In all the years he had lived and worked in his profession, he had never seen anything like it.

The child, still slicked with blood and fluid from his mother's womb and wrapped carefully in soft linen defiantly glared up at the doctor handling him. Violet eyes were slivered like a cats and glinted with an almost inhuman light and awareness. Chills ran up and down the doctor's spine and he quickly handed off the boy to his assistant to be washed, then busied himself with the post birth examination of the mother.

She herself was an enigma. Arriving to their secluded town in the mountains several months pregnant, begging for a place to stay until she gave birth and was able to work on her own. However, looking at her now, he judged that she wouldn't be able to work for a long while yet. Her body had given everything it could during labor and now she lay flaccid, her face tinted with a gray color and her brown eyes dulled in remembered pain.

"D-doctor… M-my baby…" She exhaustedly called to him.

He paused in his work and forced a reassuring beam, "Now don't you worry Miss Mullins, my assistant is checking on your son right as we speak, she should be almost finished."

Miss Mullins gave a wane smile, "Ah… that's good…" She breathed closing her eyes slowly. The doctor noted with some satisfaction that her breathing was evening out and that color was returning to her cheeks. He checked her pulse, it was still rapid, but that too was returning to normal. '_She may recover yet.'_

Then as if on cue his apprentice walked in, carrying a swaddled baby boy gently in her arms. She smiled kindly at the resting mother and whispered, "Miss Mullins? Are you ready to see your son?" Immediately, the woman's eyes snapped open and she looked up hopefully. At the unspoken command, the Doctor's assistant lay the child down in the new mother's arms, being careful not to jostle him. She then looked at her boss, a very serious stare seemed to pierce him and he subtly tilted his head towards the door.

Nodding her head, she bowed to Miss Mullins muttering congratulations and then promptly left the room, shutting the door silently behind her. Making sure that the door was closed all the way, the Doctor turned to face the woman and her eerily quiet offspring, a soft expression gracing his features when he saw her cooing to the infant. He cleared his throat, "So Miss Mullins, have you decided a name for the boy?"

Her eyes briefly met his and she grinned before giving her attention back to the child, running her fingers through the sparse black hair, "He looks so much like his father… but I believe… I'll name him Jay…" Once again her eyes flicked about in thought, but with a satisfied nod she affirmed, "Yes, Jay Mullins, after my grandfather."

"Oh?" He responded, jumping right onto the subject that intrigued him most, "Is your family going to come and see you?" Hesitation appeared in her now very alert eyes and the Doctor back tracked, "Are… you not very close?"

"Uhm, no. No we aren't." She stated and quickly focused her interest on her son, who was currently suckling greedily on her forefinger with innocent abandon, eyes contently closed. "The only one I was ever close to was my grandfather and well… He's been dead for many years now."

The Doctor blinked dumbly, and then blurted, "Well, what of the father? Your husband?" She stiffened. "Wouldn't he wish to see his new born child?"

It took her several moments to reply her eyes overshadowed by the wet bangs on her forehead. After several moments of severely awkward silence, in which case the Doctor was distinctly becoming uncomfortable, she simply stated, "No."

Feeling he had pried too far, the Doctor just shook his head and murmured, "I apologize Miss Mullins, I shouldn't have been so intrusive. It really isn't my business." Then making a snap decision and praying to heaven above that it wasn't a mistake, he offered, "Your welcome to stay here as long as you need to get you back on your feet. We'll help provide everything you need in order to support yourself and your son."

At this she smiled warmly, "Oh! Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me!" Bending over her son, she cooed in a baby voice, " You hear that Jay-Jay? We've got a place to stay!"

One amethyst eye peaked through a squinted eyelid and a hum emanated from tiny vocal cords as if in understanding.

* * *

Softly, the Doctor closed the door to the bedroom, giving Miss Mullins some privacy as she nursed the child. His assistant fell in step silently behind him as he strode purposefully toward his office. It wasn't until they were safely enclosed within that she voiced her concerns, "Sir, there is something very wrong with that child."

Sighing heavily, the Doctor sat in his leather chair, his old bones creaking at the new position. "Yes I know." He growled, "I noticed it when I was holding him, even if it was brief." Pausing for a few seconds, he then asked, "Camilla, are you religious in any way?"

"…Huh?" She questioned, taken by surprise by the different topic. "Err, well not really sir… but what does-"

"Well, I'm not either." The Doctor interrupted with a grumble, pulling out a cigar from his desk drawer and lighting it before continuing, "But whether I believe in Gods or Devils or what-have-you, I know this: There is _definitely_ something evil or unnatural within that child. We had best keep an eye on him _and_ his mother. Understood?"

She nodded, a grave expression crossing her young face.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay and just to clarify, this story is going to be set up for the Manga/Brotherhood version of the series.


	2. Chapter 1: When the Bell Tolls

**A/N:** Hey guys! Like I said a new chapter was coming soon and well... Here it is! (not exactly as I had planned but... eh shit happens.)

Enjoy the new chapter of FtSoS! Constructive criticism is very welcome!

Ciao

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Chapter 1: When the Bell Tolls

...

He wished that for once, everyone would just shut up.

Staring down at a black sarcophagus, a boy, five years of age with black hair and violet eyes, watched with a stone faced expression as they buried his entire world in a hole in the ground. A headstone, with the name Natalie Mullins engraved on the smooth marble, stood like a monolith in front of the grave; solidifying reality and making him realize that he wasn't dreaming.

It had just happened so suddenly. She had been happy and healthy, telling stories, making him breakfast, telling him to brush his teeth, comb his hair, put on a jacket, and then pushing him out the door with his lunch in hand so he wouldn't be late for school. It wasn't until later, when he had come home and no one was there, that he had found a note stating that his mother had collapsed in the middle of town, and that it was imperative that he go to Doctor Horatio's house immediately.

He'd bolted from the house, as fast has his small legs could carry him, not even bothering to close the front door. When he raced through the town, people parted before him like cockroaches from a bright light, scampering out of his way as if he'd been diseased. And when he had reached the Doctor's place, he had nearly kicked down the door in his anticipation. But standing in the lobby, the orange rays of the setting sun reflecting off her blond hair, stood Camilla in her white lab coat. She'd had been waiting for him.

Everything within and without Jay Mullins seemed to stop at that moment. Camilla usually didn't come out of the basement, which was where the morgue was located. All he could do was stare as she explained to him in a professional manner, that his mother had died of a hemorrhage in the brain and that they had tried everything that they could to save her. However, brain bleeds weren't something they had any knowledge of fixing in this day and age. She continued speaking after that, but it just turned into a drone of noise to his ears. Words began to mix and warp, and suddenly he heard nothing.

A life changing experience had just occurred; the most important person in his life had just passed away and nobody had the balls to pull him from school and inform him of it. He'd felt his blood boil and his shark-like teeth clenched in response. Why hadn't they told him face to face? Why just leave a note? The boy felt a beastly creature twist and coil within him, hissing with malice. _He_ knew exactly why they hadn't. The whispers were always just loud enough for him to hear, but always quiet enough so he didn't know who said it. Whispers stating that he was a devil in the skin of a child. A freak of nature. A monster.

And now again, as he stand's in a ceremony that is supposed to honor the dead, the tales are spun once again:

"Boy put a curse on her."

"Monster."

"Devoured her soul."

"Shouldn't be here."

"Demon."

"Disrespectful."

"Should have never been born."

All of these insults he'd heard dozens of times before and still they rolled off him like it didn't matter. He didn't see the point in getting angry over such trivial things, it's not like they'd do him any physical harm.

They were piling dirt onto the grave now, and Jay felt something tighten in his chest. Never again was he to see her smiling face, framed by auburn hair, her eyes dancing with laughter. Never again will she tuck him in at night or make him wake up bright and early to get ready for school. Never again will he hear her laughter, or feel her embrace nor the touch of her lips on his forehead as she told him how much she loved him. She was gone. Gone to a place where he couldn't follow. With only the surrounding fools to keep him company. Jay felt is body grow heavier as the last bit of dirt was put back where it had been dug up. She wasn't coming back…

"Whore sold herself to the devil."

Jay's eyes widened and his pupils slit to a knife edge. It felt like someone had just shoved a sword into his abdomen and twisted. For a moment, he couldn't breath and then the beast rapidly uncoiled itself, fangs extended, eyes blazing with fury. Since the day he'd been born, he'd been seen as different. He just wasn't like other children. Even in the crib he showed signs of being far too intelligent for his age; knowing and doing things that such a small child shouldn't even have an understanding of. The child always reasoned and remained in control of situations like a full grown adult, and it was with that freakish ability that segregated him from everyone else.

But now, his mind was a chaotic flurry and he didn't know if he had any control on what he would do next.

'_Who said that? What is he doing here? What are all of these people doing here? What are they here for? This is __**my**__ mother! She belongs to __**me!**__ They have no right to be here! All of them should leave! __**This is only for me to see! ME ALONE! SHE'S MY MOTHER NO ONE ELSES! GO AWAY! GO AWAY!'**_

"**GO AWAY!"** He roared aloud, his voice rising in crescendo as grief, for the first time in his young life, consumed his entire being. He sunk to his knees from the force of it, and hot tears burned his eyes and cheeks. Clenching his skull he bowed his head and sobbed to the earth, his body shook and it felt like he was being torn from the inside.

Everyone was stunned into silence. They watched in wonder at the boy who never even cried when he was a babe, bawl right in front of them at the foot of his own mother's grave. And as the sun began to set into the horizon, the entirety of the town of Chut stood like silent sentinels and witnessed as Jay, for the first time, acted his age.

* * *

"Days are surprisingly long… when there's nothing you care to do…" Jay muttered to himself as he stared at the cracks in the ceiling of his room for the 52nd time. It had been a month and an half since the funeral and his house, as usual, was silent except for the occasional creaks and groans when the wind blew by. The doctors from the clinic came by a couple times a day, to be sure that he was eating right, taking care of himself, etc. For the most part he didn't pay attention to when they were here and when they weren't.

He left when he chose to, either heading into the forest that surrounds the town or visiting his mother's grave. Most of the time his escapades would usually cause the doctors to search frantically for him and then scold him for taking off without leaving a letter and that he should be going to school. Frankly, he didn't know why they cared. Figures he'd only start to matter to someone once he'd lost interest in any of the people of this wretched town.

A spider catches his attention and he watches as it weaves it's threads in the corner of the wall above him waiting for a meal that may or may not come. Jay frowned, _'Now why can't I live like that, huh? Not having to worry about greeting neighbors that will never say hello back. Not having to be concerned with pissing off the brewer down the street. Just sitting in a web waiting for opportunity to fly from nowhere.'_

After several moments of staring at the web maker, Jay sighed, "Yeah but sitting around is pretty boring though…" He sighed again and rolled to the side to watch the last rays of sunlight disappear behind mountain peaks, "But I guess it's better than going to school and _pretending_ to be interested."

His stomach gave a interesting gurgle, and Jay grudgingly got up off of his bed to satiate it. Jay noted with satisfaction that the kitchen was spotless. It seems that he wasn't the only one who'd had a hand in cleaning up around here; guess those doctors really _were_ useful for something.

Standing on tip toes he reached into the fruit basket in the center of the dining room table to grab an apple. After making sure there were no worm holes, he crunched into it, making a satisfied noise in the back of his throat. _'At least I'm not going to starve.'_

Opening the front door, Jay sat down on the wooden porch and let the gentle evening breeze rustle through his short hair as he munched thoughtfully on the apple. The sky was turning to a velvet blue as the glow of the western horizon began to fade. A few stars dotted the heavens and Jay felt loneliness creep into the corner of his mind. _'I didn't mind the solitude so much when Mom was alive. But now…'_

Heaving a sigh, Jay stood and walked towards the dimly lit town in the distance, tossing his apple core to the side. He could see lights switching off every now and again, and Jay knew that by the time he got there, the streets of Chut would nearly be empty. Which was fine by him really; one could only stand so much idiocy from these people before getting sick of it.

But if there was one thing that he did enjoy about this damned town, it was sneaking into the tavern during the evening hours and listening to the news from other areas. Due to the remote location of Chut in the south west mountain region of Amestris, information from other regions of the country usually took longer to reach here. Even the weekly newspaper rarely had anything up to date.

And so, once he reached the desired section of town, noting how many people were up and about; which was thankfully few. Swiftly taking a few furtive looks about himself to make sure no one was watching, Jay dashed quickly into the alleyway next to the Charging Hog Tavern. With a hop, skip, and a jump he cleared the packaging crates that always littered the back corner of the alley and leapt onto the roof. Kneeling down, he rapped lightly on some shingles listening for the tell tale signs of a trap door. There it was. A dull thudding followed by movement. Silently, Jay ducked into the crawlspace and shut the door.

Being careful to only step on the support beams, Jay inched his way through the dusty attic. Here and there he heard snippets of conversation, but the majority of it was just worthless drivel. He was more interested in the stories of those who sat about the taps at the bar, since they were more often than not the ones with the most loose of lips.

Jay crouched down so that his belly was to the beam beneath him, and he fiddled with one of the ceilings boards so that he could at least peak one eye through. From what he could see there was a man in a blue military garb, talking animatedly with a group of the local men. Now this in itself was interesting, military personal very rarely came to Chut and when they did it was to visit family. _'I know for a fact that all those affiliated with the military were sent to the Ishval conflict…'_ For some reason Jay felt his spine tingle, _'And… I definitely don't recognize this soldier. What could he possibly want here?'_

From the look of the man, he appeared to be very laid back and easygoing. His dark eyes, brown hair, and handsome features probably made him a real hit with the ladies. _'And judging by the way he holds himself, he knows it.'_ Jay reflected with a deadpan expression.

"- you're a State Alchemist?" Jay perked his ears at one of the older men's question; curious himself.

"Yes, indeed I am." The man stated with an arrogant grin of confidence, running a hand through his hair. "I'm known as the Carpenter Alchemist and I've just recently obtained my state certification." At this he whipped out a silver pocket watch with the symbol of the dragon and a hexagram. This got a lot of attention from the crowd, with numerous 'oohs' and 'aahs' filling the room as they inspected the device.

Jay's eyebrow twitched, _'This guy…'_ He watched as the man seemed to swell with self-importance at the complements lavishly thrown his way. _'…is an idiot.'_ Jay concluded, disgusted with the display. _'But I suppose I should remain for a while, just in case he drops off some interesting information.'_

On cue, the conversation picked up below, "So what brings you to Chut? I can't imagine there being anything interesting here." A younger townsman queried. Jay identified him as being the blacksmith's apprentice.

An older gentleman objected, "Heey now, there's plenty of interesting things here, you young'uns just don't see the bigger picture. Too hot headed to understand it. All one needs these days is the water, the wind, and a bed to sleep in."

"Yeah and you've got crumbs in your beard, old man." The young man growled irritably.

The surrounding people chuckled and the Carpenter laughed heartily his loud voice echoing about the tavern, "Actually, I'm here on official business and I was hoping that maybe all of you could help me." There was a ripple of chatter from the locals at this and many gave their promises of support and aid.

"We'll help you the best that we can," The bartender offered with a smile, "Just tell us what you need." The alchemist returned the smile with one of his own and raised his mug in toast before downing the bitter drink.

Slamming the pint on the countertop, the Carpenter Alchemist gave a contented sigh. A few people snickered at the display and Jay huffed in approval, _'At least some of these sheep know he's just hamming it up.'_

However, when the alchemist opened his eyes again; all trace of silliness and self absorption had disappeared. His eyes were hard like dark granite and a humorless grin spread across his face.

"There've been rumors and complaints of a local demon. I'm very interested to know more."

* * *

**A/N: **It's usually at about this point that someone will say, "Oh Snap."

By the by, Carpenter Alchemist is totally made up. Doesn't exist. Zip. Zilch. Nada. And you know, when I think about it, that's gotta be a pretty lame thing to be known for, especially when it comes to military applications and you have to contend with epic names connected to equally awesome people like Major Armstrong 'Strong Arm Alchemist' or Brigadier General Graham 'Iron-Blood Alchemist.'

It's like painting a target on your upper abdomen and running naked through a military boot camp.

It just screams "Shoot me. It'll be worth it."


	3. Chapter 2: It Tolls for You

**A/N:** And so here we are again, with a new chapter for you folks! Thank you very much for reviewing Enduring and Marie you motivate me to write more! However all I have to say about your curiosity is to just wait and see, all will be revealed in time.

Also I would like to add, if anyone notices any weird grammar issues or words not in the right context let me know please!

* * *

Chapter 2: It Tolls for You

...

"There've been rumors and complaints of a local 'demon.' I'm very interested to know more." The alchemist smirked, weaving and interlocking his fingers to lay them on his abdomen.

There was a stunned silence from all people present and Jay felt his blood run cold. To think that anyone in the military would take a rumor seriously was absurd; especially when there are always dozens of them flying around. And yet, here was this man; a State Alchemist, with a smug look on his face at the uncertain expressions of his audience. It would undoubtedly be foolish to try and lie now.

One man, who was the town butcher, ventured to question in a voice that was a bass rumble, "And where did you hear that? Why would the military be interested in something as unreliable as idle gossip?" There were murmurs of agreement from various townsfolk and Jay narrowed his eyes at this. Why defend him now? Didn't they fear and despise him?

The Carpenter Alchemist laughed nervously, "Now now! What's with all the hostility, huh? I'm just following orders!" He said while defensively raising his hands with a large grin on his face. "I was told to investigate that there was no misuse of alchemy or something unpleasant like that." At the confused looks coming his way he reiterated, "You know… like creating a dangerous creature and letting it loose to wreak havoc… stuff like that."

Huffing, the butcher retorted, "Well whatever it is your looking for, we don't need the military sniffing about and upturning the peace around here. We're very private people and though we do enjoy hearing the stray story every now and again, we don't much care for housing a bunch of soldiers." A number of heads nodded and many loudly exclaimed their dislike of outside interference.

Jay smiled grimly, _'Of course. They weren't concerned about me after all. They just don't want the military mucking about in their business. I suppose that __**is**__ smart, if only a bit disheartening on my part.'_ However, his attention snapped back to the alchemist when he sniggered.

"The very fact that you are trying to drive me away, without investigating, is significant proof that you _are_ hiding something." He smirked, dark eyes glinting, "Or are you going to prove me wrong?"

A few of the townspeople looked at each other a bit dumbfounded, before someone in the back cackled, "Hehehe, my my! You certainly _are_ putting on a good show. Haven't seen this much excitement since Miss Mullins moved into town." Several heads turned and there, sitting next to the fireplace, a blanket draped over his lap and nursing a mug of hot toddy was Doctor Horatio.

Raising a questioning eyebrow, the alchemist asked, "And this Miss Mullins brought excitement how? Is she an alchemist?"

"Hardly." He replied amicably, taking a good draw from his alcoholic drink, "She was just a young woman in the spring time of her youth, searching for a place to start her brood. For a time, she lived under my roof at the clinic; taking care of her child, aiding where she could, before being able to afford a place of her own. The woman was a bit of an enigma at the time, which is probably why the whole town was all in a tizzy over her arrival. But over all, she was just a very gentle woman whose heart was in all the right places."

Blinking in confusion, the alchemist blurted a series of questions, "So she isn't an alchemist? Then why even mention her? Is there even anyone in this town that can do alchemy?"

The old man's eyes curved upward as he chuckled again, "You really know nothing of this town, don't you? There's nothing here but a bunch of old forest and a beautiful mountain view. Normally, one would think an alchemist would find this a perfect place to research, but as long as I've lived there has never been one to settle here. And as for this 'demon' that your so set on tracking down, well… if there really were any monsters you'd think the people would be a little more reluctant to leave their homes. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Alchemist?"

His eyes narrowed at this and he growled, "You people have to be hiding something… I _saw_ the looks on your faces earlier. Filled with alarm at the mention of this so called 'demon.' If you are hiding something…" The alchemist trailed off, and Jay felt his spine prickle at the unspoken threat. Some people shifted from toe to toe nervously.

"Oh ho! Is that a play at intimidation, Mr. Alchemist?" Doctor Horatio crowed, leaning forward to give the younger man an amused look that broke across his weathered features, "Well I'll tell you this now, good sir. You could turn this old town upside down and inside out, and even then you won't find what you're looking for. You have permission to look of course, but in the end the outcome will be the same and you will go back to where you came from. And while we're on that subject…" At this, the doctor paused and his face changed in appearance to give him a piercing gaze, "If you're a part of the military as you claim to be, why aren't you in Ishval?"

Rage flashed across the younger man's face and with fluid movements, got up and stormed off, slamming the front door behind him. The doctor chortled once more, before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a tin of cigars. Leaning toward the older man, the blacksmith spoke uncertainly, "Uh, Doc? You do know that State Alchemists haven't been sent to Ishval because there are still many people against the idea of using human weapons, right?"

Taking his time to light the cigar, Horatio took a drag and blew smoke rings to the ceiling before replying, "Yeah, I know. But I couldn't help but push his buttons, if only a little. Everyone should keep an eye on him, and don't tell him anything unnecessary." Several of the gathered nodded in understanding and Jay felt the tightening in his chest lessen.

'_Well at least they diverted the guy's attention away from my mother for a while.'_ He thought with grudging respect,_ I don't know what I'd do exactly if he came snooping about my house.'_ And with that, the child quietly closed the peek hole and backed out of his hiding place. Intent on going home and to bed, and perhaps even to contemplate on what he'd just heard.

* * *

It was about six in the morning when Jay was abruptly awoken from a fascinating dream about a mass of voices and red stones, the cause of his rude awakening being a rapid knock on the front door. He grumpily groaned and looked at the clock with bleary eyes. Seeing the time he moaned and fell down onto his pillow, burying his face in the soft material, _'Who the hell comes calling at such an ungodly hour?'_ He angrily growled in the back of his throat as more knocking ensued. A hopeful thought pushed into his tired mind when the sound paused for a second time, _'Maybe if I just lay here they'll go away.'_

For several moments it was silent outside and he was just about to fall into sleep again, the image of the red stone hovering blurrily like a mirage in his minds eye, when the noise started anew, this time as a much louder hammering.

"Oh for the love of all that's good and decent!" Jay hissed, shooting up from his bed to stomp across the floor of his bedroom and wrench open his door. Not caring that it smashed in the wall, he continued is irritable path to the front door, eyes narrowing when the rapping proceeded at the same pace.

Reaching up to grasp the handle, he flung open the door. Only to slam it closed just as quickly.

"That really stings kid. Is this how you greet all your guests?" The dejected voice of the State Alchemist whined.

Running a hand through his hair, which only succeeded in messing it up further, Jay gave a sigh. Then turning around, he reluctantly opened the door again, slowly this time, and only so one of his violet eyes were visible. "No." He replied bluntly to the adult, "But I don't know you and Mom told me not to talk to strangers."

"Oh. Well that's fine." The alchemist responded good-naturedly, slightly amused by the kid's caution. "Can I talk to her? I just want to ask her some questions." He was smiling and Jay's visible eye narrowed, irritated that the man still held interest in his mother's arrival here. This guy just didn't know when to quit.

"She's not here." Jay snapped a little unintentionally, he grew more annoyed when the alchemist didn't seem even a little bit put off by this and continued to pry.

"What about your father? Is he here?" When the child didn't reply immediately, the man's eyes lit up, obviously thinking that he'd hit the nail on the head, "Can I come in?" He asked politely and Jay nearly closed the door in his face again, but something in the back of his mind niggled that he should let him in and hear what he had to say. And so with a profound lack of enthusiasm the boy opened the door for him to enter, giving a menacing glare when the man flashed him a triumphant smirk.

Or at least, as menacing as he could manage being only 3 feet seven inches and wearing blue pinstripe pajamas.

At first the man strode in with confidence, intent on having a very lengthy conversation with the boy's 'father.' However, when he looked about the dining room, he saw that the house was surprisingly small. There were only three other rooms besides this one; two of them being bedrooms with one obviously belonging to the child and the other likely being the master's, and the last was a relatively small bathroom. All of them, he discovered, were undoubtedly vacant.

"Err, hey kid." The alchemist ventured hesitantly scratching his head, he turned around to face Jay, "I thought your dad was home."

Rolling his eyes, Jay replied a little petulantly, "You're the one who assumed he was here." He strode past the man and clambered onto one of the dining table's chairs, reaching for a pear this time. "And by the way," He paused to bite into the fruit, "I've never met my father. Mother raised me on her own."

The Carpenter Alchemist drew his eyebrows together, obviously disturbed by something as he stared at the boy, "Oh, I see. Sorry. I…uh… didn't know."

Jay shrugged away the look, unconcerned, eyes gazing beyond the window at the lifting mist as he munched away at the pear, "Doesn't matter." When the man didn't reply he continued, "If you've got nothing more to say you can leave now."

"Not until I talk to your mother." He stubbornly affirmed, seemingly recovering from whatever had troubled him earlier and performing further sacrilege by sitting himself down across from the child. Hearing the boy give an irritated sigh he laughed, "What's the matter kiddo? Are you aspiring to be a hermit someday or something? Relax!" At this he reclined his booted feet onto the table and gave a mighty sigh of his own. "I'm just going to hang out here until your mom shows up, she and I'll have a lovely chat, and I'll be on my way! Your just going to have to deal with me breathing your air for a while alright?"

Giving a snort, Jay retorted tartly, one of his eyebrows twitching in annoyance, "If I were aspiring to be a hermit, I wouldn't be sitting here and tolerating your asinine presence and 'sharing my air' as you so eloquently put it. And as for speaking to my Mother, well, you missed her by a month and a half. Come back in another life."

There was an awkward silence after Jay's remark and he snuck a furtive look at the alchemist, only to discover that he was staring at him like he'd grown a second head. Jay said nothing, knowing exactly what the problem was. He took another bite of the fruit.

Snapping out of his stupor, the man took his feet off the table and leaned forward, his eyes gaining a curious gleam. He cleared his throat loudly and smoothed back his hair, voice taking a more serious tone; "You've… certainly got a broad vocabulary, for a four year old."

"I'm _five_." Jay ground out as a defense, his chest puffing up with slight aggression.

"Whatever." The alchemist dismissed with a wave, "Now what were you telling me about your mother? Did she go on a trip? What kind of parent leaves their kid home alone?"

Instead of directly answering the man's question, Jay chose to glower and vehemently added between gritted teeth, "You know, for an adult, you're dreadfully dull witted."

"What'd I do now?" He exclaimed in exasperation, "First your mad at me for knocking on your door, coming into your house, sitting at your table, breathing your air, and now this!" The alchemist threw his hands in the air and then put them to his face, scrubbing around his eyes, "What can I do to get answers around here?" He whined.

Bored, Jay spun the pear core by it's stem, watching it roll around on the table, "Well if you'd had half a brain, you would've found it out by now. But it seems you put all of your energy into melodramatic displays of idiocy; so I must presume at this rate that you'll never guess."

"Talking to you is exhausting." Came the muffled reply.

"Glad to be of service." Jay countered sarcastically, leaping off his chair to discard the heart of the pear and to search for something more substantial. For now, there was more silence from the military officer and Jay took this opportunity to reflect over why he had felt the need to let this fool in his house in the first place. The man was obviously incompetent when in came to games of wit and words; Jay guessed that he was probably sent on this wild goose chase to keep him busy and out of everyone else's hair back at headquarters.

He felt the back of his neck prickle, and Jay knew the man was watching him. It was somewhat disconcerting, which was odd, considering the boy was used to the stares of the townsfolk all the time. Maybe, the alchemist knew something after all, or at least recognized something familiar. Jay sniffed at the thought, _'Highly unlikely.'_

It was decently bright outside now and there appeared to be a light breeze as well. Jay opened the kitchen window, letting the early summer smells waft into the house as he brought down a loaf of bread and some cheese. Today seemed like it'd be perfect for a picnic and some light reading, maybe he'd even go out for a stroll in the woods later. That is… if he could get rid of the bum sitting at _his_ table. Jay didn't particularly like the idea of the man left to his own devices in the house, and most definitely didn't want the idiot to follow him everywhere.

The aforementioned man flinched back guiltily at being caught staring, when the boy turned to face him, a solemn frown turning his lips into an almost pout. He continued to stare when the child spoke, those violet eyes seemingly gazing into his soul, "If you wish to speak to my mother, go to the hill north of the town. You'll find a gravel lane lined with trees. Follow it. She'll be standing in front of a patch of early summer irises waiting for you." Jay turned back to cutting the bread and listened intently as heard the chair scrape back.

"Uhm." The alchemist paused and turned towards the kid, opening his mouth to say something, but at the last moment clamped it shut and muttered a quick, "Thanks." Before opening the front door and swiftly leaving through it, only stopping momentarily to make sure it didn't slam closed. Jay snorted.

"Good riddance."

* * *

Kelvin H. Emmerich, the Carpenter Alchemist, just couldn't get it.

How could a kid, that could barely reach his middle thigh, even begin to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth? Let alone verbally dance around him like some forty-year-old philosopher. He'd heard of child geniuses an all, but this was rather ridiculous, on the borderline of bizarre. Even young geniuses had a childlike demeanor about them in their curiosity. This _boy_ on the other hand, acted much older than his age should even allow, displaying a level of intelligence that was clearly far from the ordinary.

And that wasn't the only unusual thing. The child's violet slit-pupil eyes and shark-like teeth also added to his peculiar presence. It could be that the boy just had some genetic anomalies, there were certainly plenty of those floating around, but Kelvin had severe doubts about that. _'That boy's face is too familiar for my liking.'_ He mused, striding away from the child's house. _'But for some reason I can't pinpoint where I've seen a face like that before.'_

He tried thinking about it again, but whenever he did, his skull gave a painful throb and Kelvin quickly gave up. _'Whatever, I'm not gonna let it ruin my day.'_ The alchemist smiled, an extra bounce kicking into his stride. _'I've got the answer I wanted from the brat, and now I can go speak to Miss Mullins at my leisure.'_ He waved good-naturedly to a couple of people in a horse drawn wagon as they passed by, his grin never faltering even when they didn't wave back.

Quickening his pace, he passed through the semi busy streets of Chut, past street vendors and stands hawking their wares, through the town square, chucking a coin in the water fountain in the center, and then toward the north end of town. The settlement was small, so there was little wonder that there weren't many people about, but every now and again he noticed someone from outside the town, haggling with a merchant, delivering some supplies, or enjoying idle talk on the sidelines. At least the place got _some_ outside contact; isolated places like this had a tendency to develop strange followings or ideas.

'_On that note,'_ Kelvin pondered, _'after I've spoken with the prime suspect I should ask about the town. I didn't get the chance this morning since I wanted to catch Miss Mullins at her home.'_ He noticed the gravel path and ventured towards it, seeing the large oak trees lining the trail up ahead.

The kid had said that she'd be waiting for him and Kelvin felt a little nervous at this. Had one of the villagers warned her before hand? Well, whatever it was, he was intent on finding out and he marched purposefully up the path. He whipped his head to stare at the trees when they rustled suddenly, but calmed himself when he realized it was just the wind. _'Sheesh! I really need to just calm down! Getting all worked up over a housewife…'_

When he crowned the hill, Kelvin noticed that there was a cemetery and standing before one of the graves, a patch of purple and crimson irises at her feet, stood a small woman. With respectful silence he stepped next to her and cleared his throat, "Excuse me madam, are you by chance Miss Mullins?"

Startled blue eyes looked into his black. He noted that she appeared to be very young, and had long wavy black hair. To be so young and taking care of a brat like that, what a cruel world it was that they lived in. He gave her a kind smile. However she shied away from him, drawing her hands to her chest, "W-who are you?" She whispered and then her voice grew angry, thin eyebrows drawing together, "Is this your idea of a sick joke? Because if it is, I hardily find it funny!"

Kelvin jerked back in surprise when she pointed an accusing finger at him, "It's no wonder everyone in town is suspicious of you. Making stupid remarks like that! How dare you!"

"Whoa! Lady! I don't know what your problem is, but you need to calm down!" The alchemist defended raising his hands.

He could only watch as she yelled, "You walk about this town like you own it and insult everyone that you meet! If you've got any decency you will be gone by the end of the day, we have no need to serve pompous military officers who don't know a horses head from its ass!" After several more profanities, insults to intelligence and to his manhood she finally stomped away in a huff back to town.

'_And probably to tell everyone what just happened.'_ Kelvin thought remorsefully, letting out a frustrated sigh and running a hand through his hair. "I don't understand what I'm doing wrong, why can't people just talk to me normally?"

Turning around he watched the flowers gently waving at his feet. When he slid his eyes upward, somewhat curious as to who's name was written there, his mouth dropped open and he felt his stomach fall like a rock.

He'd spent all morning searching for this woman only to find what's left of her written on a gravestone. No wonder that woman had been so peeved with him, she'd probably been a friend of the family. The name Natalie Mullins blazed accusingly at him from the white marble and he felt himself grow sick as he heard the boy's voice again, _"-you missed her by a month and a half. Come back in another life."_

No wonder the child had been so annoyed with him. His mother had just died almost two months ago and then Kelvin just waltzed into his house demanding to speak with her. Kelvin felt awful and he felt the urge to go and apologize for his thoughtlessness, but something held him back from doing so.

Pausing, Kelvin thought about all the things he heard the kid say, do, and even the subtle body language. The child was incredibly intelligent and appeared to be very cold, seemingly to outright dislike the presence of other beings. He then remembered why he'd been sent here, to search for this demon. This brought to mind the townspeople's lack of help when it came to his investigation and then the outright appearance of the Mullins child. _'Is it possible…'_ He wondered, tapping his fingers on his upper lip, eyebrows furrowing, _'…that the boy is the demon and that he was the one that killed his mother?'_

_

* * *

_**A/N:** Wow, what a jerk.


	4. Chapter 3: Wraith of Days Past

**A/N:** Okay, so just as a warning to you all, I don't particularly like this chapter much, so there is a good chance that it will be edited later. If anything does change I'll let you know on this page.

Anywho, happy reading! And if anyone sees anything that could be improved **please let me know**.

* * *

Chapter 3: Wraith of Days Past

...

After asking many reluctant citizens and gaining a large list of eyewitness accounts, Kelvin Emmerich had to unenthusiastically conclude that not only had the child been completely innocent in the case of his mother's death. But he was also the most outcast individual in the entire town.

He had checked with the clinic and viewed the autopsy report himself. It appears that she just dropped dead in the town square due to a brain hemorrhage. Which in hindsight, he thought was very anticlimactic, but he supposed if there was ever a way to die, quick and painless would be best. As for the other issue, it seemed that the locals feared the child, not because he was dangerous, but because they viewed him as being strange and unnatural, and for the most part avoided him while they could. The only ones who seemed to remotely care for the boy were the doctors and even _they_ watched him with a wary eye.

Kelvin sighed and lay his head back on a starchy pillow belonging to the hotel, he'd spent a whole two days with barely any rest in between doing research about the town and he was exhausted. Without a doubt, the results were disappointing and he was starting to feel like he'd just been sent on a wild goose chase. But they _really_ wouldn't do that, would they?

Lifting up a clipboard and file, Kelvin was just about to start the tedious job of writing his disappointing report when a frayed brown piece of paper caught his attention. Flipping to that page, he discovered that it was an old wanted poster with the ink slightly faded.

Taking a good look at the image, the alchemist felt his body grow cold and the hair on the nape of his neck stood on end. How could he have forgotten the face of this man? No wonder that boy looked so familiar; it'd been nagging at the back of his brain since he'd met the kid.

A distant memory flashed before his eyes. He was kneeling next to a fellow officer, a truck was burning not too far from them, sending a black acrid smelling smoke into the atmosphere. The officer next to him was severely injured, nursing an abdominal wound on his left side. Oh God! Was that a steel pipe protruding from his back? What should he do? A cackle snapped his attention away from his comrade, and Kelvin whirled about to see the flames reflecting off a black silhouette. A monster in the form of a human, with gleaming white tusks and strange red markings decorating his muscle bound body stood before him.

Shivering, Kelvin shook his head, banishing the memory away. Was this boy really related to _that_? It didn't seem possible, and yet… for some reason he felt that he shouldn't let this go. _'It just doesn't seem right though…' _Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, conflicted, _'His mother just died and here I am poking my nose in his business, making accusations and pointing fingers. Where will this even lead me in the end?'_

He looked down at the picture again and felt a chill run down his spine. _'Now that I think on it, whenever I look at the boy, I feel the same creeping sensation that I get when I think of that… creature… The villagers treat him like an outcast and he's unnaturally intelligent. Is it possible that he's not even human?'_ Tilting his head back, Kelvin watched a moth flutter around the light fixture on the ceiling, _'If he's not human and he really __**is**__ related to that thing, then maybe he can be used to find the criminal… But is that even right? It would be cruel to use him as a way to get to that monster.'_

But a voice in the back of his mind chided, _'Is it even right, who am I kidding? The kid's a walking gold mine! If he manages to find what I assume is his father, then I'm rolling in dough! I won't have to be concerned about passing that damned assessment every year. I'd be home free!'_ He grinned largely at the notion, thoughts of wealth and power filling his head. _'The boy's not human, so any rights that he may have are nonexistent.'_

'_Now the only problem lies in getting the child to search for him…'_ He frowned at this thought and stared down at the image in his hand; the grinning face of the criminal steadily morphed into the scowling expression of the boy. Disconcerted, Kelvin blinked rapidly to clear the mirage; it was getting late.

Standing up from the hotel bed, the alchemist walked to the window with the paper in hand, _'That could be a bit tricky, getting the kid to cooperate. The Mullin's boy said that he'd never met his father and didn't seem to be out-rightly concerned about this fact. So it's highly unlikely that the child would know where the wanted man is or even begin to know where to look…'_ His thoughts trailed as he watched the house in the distance, the warm glow of lamplight shone through the windows, indicating that the owner was present.

'_However,'_ Kelvin deliberated, narrowing his eyes when he regarded the paper again, _'The boy is indeed very knowledgeable and probably knows ways to gather information that an adult would not.'_ The alchemist gave a feral grin, his eyes gaining an eerie glint, _'It would be worth seeing what he can come up with, and maybe if luck heads my way, this boy will even lead me right to the criminal and I will finally get the fame I deserve. That little shit caused me enough grief as it is, and despite the fact that his mother's dead, I think it's time for some payback. Plus, if this works out, I could be quite the wealthy man.'_

Grabbing all of his things, he strode out his room and locked the door, smirking as he walked down the hallway, "Let's see how the brat takes the idea of military guardianship…"

* * *

Jay had just lay down all nice and snug, prepared to fall asleep, when there was a familiar rap on the front door. The boy hardily had to contemplate on who it was, as a voice from outside called, "I know your in there kiddo. I just wanna talk, alright?" Rolling his eyes, Jay sat up with severe unwillingness and trudged to the door.

"You know," He rumbled groggily when he opened the door, a tired eye peeking through the crack again, "You'd better have a good explanation for visiting this late in the evening, Alchemist."

The older man chortled, his irritating grin splitting across his face, "Oh? What'll you do? Gnaw on my ankles? " Immediately he sobered and frowned, "Look, can I come in? I promise to not keep you for too long." Raising an eyebrow at this, the child stepped back and widened the entryway, now curious about the man's solemn behavior. He carefully watched the man stride across the room, already seeing that his intended destination was the table. Jay lightly closed the door to the lukewarm air outside and silently followed.

The alchemist sat himself at the kitchen table and waited patiently for the boy to take a seat as well. Once the child was sitting comfortably, the alchemist began, "Now, I know you and I had a fairly rough start. So I wanted to take the opportunity to apologize for anything I've said and done so that there are no hard feelings between us." He watched as the boy appeared to be considering what he said, violet eyes sliding to look at a blank section of wall before nodding his head in acceptance.

Smiling companionably, the alchemist replied, "Good. Now I don't think I've fully introduced myself to you. My name is Kelvin Emmerich, I'm an alchemist under the State's Military." Kelvin reached out his hand in a friendly gesture, hoping to shake the boy's hand and get all bad blood behind them.

Glaring back at the outstretched hand, Jay knew that something about this whole thing just seemed too fishy. _'Why does it matter that I hate him or not? What was so significant that a military officer felt the need to apologize to me, a child? What was he playing at?'_ He considered not shaking his hand, but Jay saw no advantage to this and relented, grasping the larger man's hand, and sulkily adding, "Jay Mullins."

He got a beam in return for the gesture, "See? Now we're getting to know each other Jay and it's a pleasure to meet you." Clearing his throat and straightening his expression, Kelvin put both of his hands together on the table and continued, "Alright, I know you still don't like me very much Jay, but I am genuinely concerned for your well-being." When the boy raised an eyebrow he gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, it's a bit strange, I know, but you're all by yourself and well… no child your age should have to live alone."

Here, the alchemist leaned forward and gave the most pitying look that he could, "Have you had contact with any of your relatives or heard of where any relation of yours might be located?" Jay shook his head, still eyeing the man suspiciously and the alchemist sighed, "Look, you need to trust me on this. If my superiors found out that I left some kid without any adult help, then I'm gonna get in trouble for this."

Jay turned his eyes away from the look the alchemist gave him, sickened at the prospect of being pitied. He was only vaguely listening as Kelvin persisted with his speech, "-going to _have_ to have contact with _some_ relative, or else you'll be considered a Ward of the State and then you'll have all sorts of strangers poking into your business and telling you what to do. I know for a fact how much the people around here abhor that kind of interference and I assume you are of the same frame of mind."

The boy said nothing and just stared at nothing in particular, either bored or deep in thought, Kelvin couldn't tell which. Shaking his head, he stood up with a groan, and took steady steps to the front door, giving a casual wave to the boy behind him, "Well, I see that you need some time to think about it. So, whenever you decide to go searching, give me a holler. I'm sure I can help you find what your looking for, but until then, have a good evening." And with that, he lightly closed the door and was gone.

Jay blinked at his departure, a bit confused about the man's sudden disappearance, _'That was… odd. He wasn't nearly as tenacious as he was a couple days ago, something's weird about this.'_ It was then that he noticed a paper fluttering to the floor. Baffled, the boy got out of his seat and snatched it up,_ 'What is this?'_ He wondered as his eyes flicking across the page. Face paling and eyes bulging, Jay promptly fled to the bathroom and vomited, hands white knuckled as they gripped the toilet seat for support. His body shook uncontrollably and he puked until his stomach was empty, throwing up bile when there was nothing else.

"W-what the hell?" He rasped, once his gagging lessened. "That bastard!" Jay vehemently spit a piece of something that had gotten stuck in his teeth into the bowl and then flushed the toilet, trudging over to the sink to rinse out his mouth. "No wonder he left so quick, it seems he wanted to leave a little present for me." He hissed, grabbing a toothbrush and eyeing the paper lying on the hardwood floor.

When Jay thoroughly cleaned out his mouth of any acidic taste, he picked up the discarded page again and took another look. He remembered mother mentioning random bits of information regarding his father. None of it particularly peaked his interest, since he'd never even met the guy and Jay had been so concentrated on just making his mother happy.

Now however, as he gazed upon the image, Jay became very intrigued. Mother had always told him the he looked just like his father, and with the picture right in front of him, he could now believe it. Spiked black hair, hook nose, and shark-like teeth were indeed very similar to his own and the countenance that he held exuded confidence and a bit of smugness.

'_And peaking my interest was probably all in that alchemist's plan.' _Jay contemplated, narrowing his eyes and considering the front door with a glance. That man had left rather quickly and there was no doubt about it being suspicious. With the paper in his hands, it was obvious now why the alchemist held so much interest in him, he would have to be a fool to deny such obvious scheming. Perhaps he hoped that Jay would lead him to his father? He sniffed at the notion and stared back at the image in his hands, _'Does he take me for a idiot? There's no way that I'm going to fall for this trick.'_

Yet, the more Jay gazed at the image, the more he felt the need to connect to this person. It was completely illogical and he couldn't fully understand it, but never-the-less he could feel the _want_ harassing his brain. Whether he liked it or not, this man was without a doubt his sire and despite Jay's stubbornness and denial at wanting a father, the opportunity was set before him and he _needed_ to have it.

To possess it.

To cherish it.

Perhaps it was the childlike demand to be loved and cared for that drove him or maybe he just wanted a figurehead in his life. Whatever it was, Jay found himself clutching the paper to his chest, his face pinching into a pained expression and a few tears shimmered in his eyes. The boy couldn't help himself, he wanted so badly to be a part of someone's life, to no longer be alone; to feel the comforting warmth of another being as they embraced him; to feel safe in the presence that only a parent could give.

Tears fell and Jay took in a shuddering breath, looking up to the ceiling in an effort to calm himself, _'I know this is what that bastard alchemist wants… But I can't remain here alone any longer. My father is out there somewhere and I __**need**__ to find him!'_

At this, Jay quickly flipped off the lights, plunging the house into darkness, making it appear to any who may be lurking outside that he had gone to sleep. Then, after adjusting his eyes to the dimness and with careful movements, crept into his room, and slipped on a pair of pants and a t-shirt in place of his pajamas. Reaching under his bed, Jay grabbed his discarded schoolbag and dumped out the textbooks contained within. Then rolling up some spare clothes, he shoved them into his makeshift travel bag and rose from his crouched position to examine anything else he might need.

The only other things that stood out to him were his hooded travel cloak and the book on Alchemical Theory that he'd yet to finish. So when those items were added to his collection, Jay hurried into the kitchen and grabbed some food that would last a while on the road. Then with a final look around the kitchen to be sure that everything was in its proper place, Jay folded the wanted poster and tucked it into the chest pocket of his jacket, pulled on his shoes, and ducked out the back door.

Nighttime sounds greeted his ears and the gentle wave of field grass rustled with the passing of the wind. A waxing quarter moon hung like a great eye over a world of shadows, casting a pale glow over the landscape. It was in this realm that Jay said his goodbyes to the place of his birth, not certain if he would ever return.

And so by darkness the boy vanished.

* * *

**A/N:** Well now... You guys finally got a look at who daddy is and hopefully this peaks your interest.

I need to check my laundry...

Ciao.


	5. Chapter 4: Watcher of the Flock

**A/N:** W'ello again! And welcome to another chapter of From the Sea of Souls! I've been pretty busy lately, so all of you can expect the updates to be slowing down.

Now, I would like to address a matter that has been brought up by **Anonymous Reviewer Catherine**, s/he is indeed correct in pointing out that there would be a major flaw to my story. You see, it is stated in Chapter 48 of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga that homunculus do not have the capability to reproduce. This is indeed a well known fact by many fans.

HOWEVER, I must also point out that since I have followed the manga and am an active watcher of the Brotherhood adaptation of the anime, I am very much aware of this little technicality. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that it was _because_ of this error in a homunculus' structure which caused them to lack reproductive capabilities that I made the story.

So I sincerely thank you for your concern **Catherine**. But it just so happens, that in this case, it wasn't needed.

Ciao.

* * *

Chapter 4: Watcher of the Flock

…

Well along his journey, after several days and many sleepless nights in the wilderness, Jay had to conclude that this venture was probably not one of his greatest ideas.

He had run out of food and fresh water a couple of days into his journey, and that was only the start of all that went wrong. Each passing morning brought a new and innovative wave of misery to light. The days were long and hot, soaking his clothes with sweat and searing his flesh from the harsh sun. Hunger gnawed at the lining of his stomach and thirst made his vision swim. Rashes broke out on his skin from the insects that feasted upon his blood and the various unpleasant flora that he had the unfortunate pleasure of sleeping upon one night.

Perhaps one of the worst things to befall him was the fact that his shoes were unsuitable for the journey at hand. Blisters itched and bit into his feet with every step taken and stopping to rest only made things worse. Soon the sores began to split and bleed into his socks, causing more pains when the scabs tore from the cloth and the blood flow started anew.

Today was no different. The sun beat down just as hard as the day before and each movement was agonizing to his exhausted body. Jay hissed as his socks pulled against the healing wounds on his feet, _'I need to keep moving…'_ He thought, blearily looking to the sky to see a couple of birds circling, _'I've come too far to give up! I can't… I won't-'_

A distant sound broke his train of thought. It was something that he vaguely recognized as being an ill omen and his skin crawled in response. The sound was that of various canine voices rising in unison and falling with staggered yips and yelps.

It was the call of a pack of coyotes and they were closing in around him.

Jay recalled a teacher at his school saying that coyotes were opportunistic hunters and that they would even steal a babe from its crib if given the chance. Given the current situation and the poor state Jay was in, he could only assume that these scavengers were after none other than himself. _'Wonderful.'_ He sarcastically reflected, _'This journey just had to get even worse!'_

Quickening his pace, Jay fell into a limping gait, wincing every time his feet touched the ground. He had to grudgingly admit that he had absolutely no notion as to how he would defend himself against such predators… or any predators for that matter. The thought that he could be killed or eaten apparently never crossed his mind before and he mentally kicked himself for that. Though when looking back on his living situation, Jay didn't really need to ever worry about such thoughts or possible situations. Perhaps if he had been a bit more attentive in class…

Consumed with what if's and the pain biting at his heels, Jay failed to notice a steep incline on the trail ahead. It was only when his foot met air rather than dirt that he became aware something was amiss. The world appeared to move in slow motion as he tumbled headfirst down the hill, soil and dust clouded around Jay, blinding and choking him. His right hand scrabbled about trying to grasp something to stop his momentum, but he only succeeded in cutting up the flesh and getting rocks imbedded in his fingernails. Everything was becoming a confused tangle and Jay closed his eyes to keep himself from getting sick, when he suddenly slammed into something very solid with his left shoulder.

There was a popping sound accompanied by a cracking sensation that emanated from the socket. Black spots danced before his vision as a stabbing pain jetted down the entire length of his left arm. He cried out when he finally came to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the decent.

He took several moments to regain a sense of the world around himself, taking steady breaths and closing his eyes when it spun sickeningly.

Staring blearily at the soil close to his face, Jay wondered how he was going to get out of this situation. He didn't know if his arm was broken or if he had sustained any other injuries, and the circumstances were not particularly favorable. The boy was tired of being tired. And hungry. And thirsty. All he wanted was some rest and for the first time since this venture began, Jay wished that he was home.

Thoughts filled with the warmth of the fireplace, a filling dinner, and the soothing feeling of his mother's presence, Jay felt his eyes sag and his breathing ease as his body relaxed. It was with these longing memories that Jay fell into oblivion, not even caring that baying calls were drawing nearer.

* * *

Red faces swirled about him in an endless maelstrom, their combined voices making a din so profound that the very air pulsed like a drumming heart. It was… _familiar_ and at the same time _comforting_, though he didn't know why. He was fairly certain that he'd never felt this presence before, but something deep within his being resonated in its familiarity.

Despite the soothing sensation, he understood that this had to just be a dream, nothing in reality would be this chaotic, this… _dismal_. Would it? Reaching out with his arms, he attempted to grasp one of the writhing "things" when suddenly the world appeared to stretch and he was pulling further and further away from his destination.

'_Damn it! I was so close…'_

He stretched out his hand once more-

"Little boy?"

Everything snapped and he found himself blearily staring up at a wooden ceiling, his right hand raised toward its cobwebbed surface. His fingers and parts of his arm had been bandaged, and upon further inspection so was his left arm, which was in a sling. New clothes adorned his person and he was tucked into a very warm and comfy bed. Blinking sluggishly and lowering his arm, he turned to his caretaker to discover it was a kindly old woman, with so many wrinkles that her eyes squinted.

She smiled at him, her face crinkling even more, "How are you feeling dear?" She asked, her voice gravelly with age, "I just finished making some soup when I saw you moving about. Are you hungry?" At his lethargic nod she got up and hunched her way toward an open door where a delicious smell wafted his way and he assumed that was the kitchen, his stomach grumbled in response.

The old woman continued talking amiably, despite being in a separate room, the clinking of kitchenware could be heard as she worked, "For a while there, we thought you weren't going to wake up; taking such a nasty fall like that. But we kept our hopes up and sure enough, here you are bright and dandy… Or nearly bright and dandy that is, still a little woozy, I gather. You muttered quite a bit in your sleep, but most of it was nonsensical blathering and I couldn't make heads or tails of it; though I think my husband understood a little, bless the man. He and I both wondered what a young lad like yourself was doing out in the wilderness all alone, but I suppose it's not really any of our business."

Her shuffling footsteps sounded again and she reappeared with a tray, laden with a steaming bowl, buttered bread, and a clear glass with milk in it. "Now," She snipped, setting the tray on a side table and carefully sitting him up, fluffing the pillows, "you need to eat _very carefully_." She waggled a finger at him, her face stern, "If you eat too fast your going to make yourself sick, so take _small bites_ and _little sips_ alright? I'm going outside for only a moment to let my husband know you're awake, so you be good for me okay?"

At his quick but tired nod, she smiled and set the tray on his lap, hobbling away as fast as her decrepit body could muster. Which really wasn't that fast at all. Jay huffed as she disappeared, _'Old hag, what does _she _know about how my body feels?'_ His stomach gave another irritable growl and he winced when pain accompanied the noise.

Bending to the whims of his semi-starved body, Jay took three huge gulps of the soup and viciously tore into the bread. He'd never felt so hungry in his life… but… something just wasn't right.

Jay paused in his ravenous tirade when something within gave a confused lurch, _'…Oh God.'_

He immediately became sick.

* * *

Several days had passed after Jay's embarrassing first meal and he was happy to be let outside again. Unsurprisingly, his shoes were completely incompatible with the terrain he had been traveling upon. As such, his feet were riddled with sores and blisters from the tedious trek, and for the time being, Jay wasn't allowed to walk anywhere.

Thankfully, the old woman's husband, Gerard took pity upon his obvious boredom and allowed him to sit outside for the majority of the day, as long as he didn't try to stand. There wasn't much to do, other than to dully watch the sheep, but he was grateful for the outdoor exposure none-the-less. The old woman's clucking became irritating after a while.

Jay _did_ learn however, that it was Gerard who had found him, thinking that the carrion birds hovering at the edge of his field were feeding upon the corpse of one of his sheep that had been nabbed by coyotes. But to his surprise he found it to be a small child and quickly rushed Jay to their farmhouse for care.

And so he sat, comfortably in a cushioned rocking chair, with a thin blanket draped over his legs, and a cool glass of ice tea in his hands. Another new pair of clothes were placed on his person and Jay was distinctly curious as to where clothes his size came from… but he didn't have the heart to ask _quite_ yet since it really was none of his business. They seemed like a happy pair and he didn't want to bring any possibly painful memories to light.

Still, he was bored out of his freaking mind.

Sighing, Jay rocked back and forth on the chair gazing at the white cottony creatures as they browsed the expansive field. Another sigh sounded to his left, and Jay turned his eyes down to the black and white dog lounging at his side. The canine looked almost as forlorn as the boy was feeling, with her head down on her paws and large brown eyes watchfully considering the flock before her. Smiling, Jay reached down to stroke her floppy ears. He'd never had a dog before and old Nell was probably one of the best he had ever encountered; ever alert and wonderfully loyal, she hadn't left his side since he took his first cringing step outside and seemed to be quite taken with him.

Which was odd, considering every canine that he had encountered back in Chut seemed to have it out for him… But in hindsight, he guessed that the owners had a hand in _that_ particular problem. He'd always thought it odd that they would pet and croon their animals once they had successfully chased him off their property…

A whine broke his train of thought and flinted violet eyes darted toward the owner of the noise. Nell was staring up at him with an entreating expression and Jay noticed that he had unwittingly tightened his fist in her long hair. Apologizing, Jay petted the pain away and earned a thankful lick on the nose as acceptance for the act of contrition.

Heavy booted footsteps sounded from the house behind him and both Jay and Nell looked up expectantly to see Gerard hunch through the door, fishing pole over one shoulder and a tackle box clenched in a meaty hand. When Jay had first met the older man, he'd thought that he was oddly proportioned. Gerard was tall, lanky, and stork-ish, with awkwardly large hands and feet. A heavy brow brought his forehead into perpetual seriousness, wispy grey hair was cropped short and kept well trimmed, and finally a large beak nose finished the bird-like façade.

However, despite his odd appearance the man was physically fit from working his entire life in hard farm labor and thus his skin didn't sag or bow too much. Hard muscle was still very prominent on his arms and legs.

A white-toothed grin broke out as he regarded Jay and Nell, "Eager for something to do, huh?" Jay gave a meek nod and Nell stood to shake, her tail wagging. The older man chuckled at both reactions, "Alright then, I don't see how it could hurt." Kneeling with his back to Jay he grunted, "Hop on my back lad, Diane would skin me alive if I let you walk to the creek with your feet all busted."

Jay hesitated. No one had ever given him a chance to ride on their back before, and even then he'd never seen what the big deal was. Little kids always squealed with delight and enthusiasm whenever riding on an adult's back and Jay assumed that it was some sort of novelty to be up high like that, especially when one was so young. On the other hand, the high-pitched screeching of the children always deterred him from wanting to try it. He was above such tasteless behavior.

Now though, as he was faced with the opportunity, he couldn't help but feel the need to try it. It was similar to the sensation of wanting to meet his father, but a bit dimmer and less urgent. He supposed it couldn't hurt to attempt it at least once, just to indulge that curiosity that was nagging at the back of his mind. With this in mind, Jay carefully clambered onto the man's back.

When nothing happened, Jay began to feel distinctly self-conscious and was about to climb back down again, but thoughts of embarrassment were flung from his mind when suddenly the floor fell far below him and the ceiling became closer than it's ever been before. Fear of falling gripped at his throat and he tightened his hold around Gerard's neck, scrunching his eyes closed.

"Whoa!" Gerard exclaimed good-naturedly at the tightened grasp, and wrapped his arms under each of Jay's legs, "Loosen your hold a little bit, will you lad? It's alright; I got you. I promise I won't let you fall." Tentatively, Jay relaxed his iron grip and opened his eyes, cautiously inspecting his situation.

Gerard gave him a bewildered look, when he noticed the frightened face, "Has no one given you a piggyback ride before?" At the boy's rapid shake of the head, he gave an irritable huff and started walking, old Nell padding beside him with her tail going wild, "Well what kind of childhood are you leading boy? You can't be a real man when you grow up if you've never done the kid things…"

Jay furrowed his brow at this logic, "What? That doesn't make sense…"

The old man snorted, "Of course it does. If you've never done the childhood things, then you'll never learn and grow. And if you never learn and grow then you won't be a man. It's as simple as that." He stated gruffly, stopping to hitch Jay up a little, "You may not understand it now, but when you get older, you'll learn to appreciate the days you had."

"I… _guess.._." Jay muttered uncertainly with a frown, "But… what does any of that have to do with piggyback riding?" This got a burst of laugher from Gerard and he pouted further. _'This old man must be off his rocker.'_

"Like I said kiddo, I don't really expect you to understand now." Gerard stated matter-of-factly, "Even if you _are_ pretty smart. Besides, it isn't your fault for never having to ride on anyone's back. It's sort of your father's job to do stuff like that…"

The older man trailed off when he felt the boy stiffen and he wondered at the reaction, especially when the child gave a tight, "I see." as a response. However, he didn't have to speculate long, as the child spoke up to break the silence, "Hey Gerard?" He hummed in acknowledgement. "I grew up not knowing my father… and well, I was always a bit different from the other kids, so, I didn't get to do a lot of things…"

Raising his eyebrows, Gerard considered these words and snorted, "A _bit _different huh? I think that's stretching it kiddo. What about your mother? Didn't she spend time with you?"

No answer.

It was quiet for a while as Gerard trekked through the throngs of sheep that grazed around them, following a well-beaten path that led to his favorite fishing spot. He knew the boy was thinking things through and was content to just wait until he was ready to speak. They were almost to their destination when Jay finally replied, his words were barely a whisper and Gerard had to crane his neck around to even hear the words, "Yeah… she did but… she can't anymore…"

Silence fell between them, and Jay was happy to finally be set down on some grass when they reached the creek. Old Nell wiggled her way next to him, a stick in her jaws. Smiling, Jay swiped stick from her and flung it to the right, watching amusedly as she bounded through the foliage to retrieve her prize.

Gerard baited and cast his line, sitting on an old stump with a content sigh when he was satisfied with the distance that the bobber had landed. Grunting to himself, he dug into the tackle box and pulled out a couple of sandwiches wrapped in paper, "You hungry lad?" Nodding, Jay caught the bound package when it was chucked his way.

They sat with quiet companionship for a while, eating their sandwiches, listening to the ripple of the water, the chatter of the birds in the canopy, and the sniffing of Nell as she searched for the damned stick. Jay was staring at the bobber as it leapt and dove with the current of the stream, when there was a gravelly clearing of a throat next to him. He looked up to find Gerard frowning, furrowed brows sharpening his gaze as he stared straight ahead.

"Sorry for bringing up painful memories kid…" He growled, "It wasn't any of my business."

Jay blinked, a bit dazed, and looked back toward the water, "No-uh… it's okay. You were just… concerned." Feeling eyes resting on him, Jay darted his eyes to look at the older man, "Besides, if I'm going to find what I'm looking for, I'm going to need to talk to people I trust and well, you and Diane have been pretty helpful."

"Oh?" Gerard raised his eyebrows and gave Jay a critical look, "What are you looking for?"

A smirk was made almost feral with the shark-like teeth, "I'm searching for my father."

* * *

**A/N:** Long chapter is LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG.

Thanks for reading! See you at the next chapter!


	6. Chapter 5: Between Man and Beast

**A/N:** 'Ello there everyone! And welcome to yet another chapter of FtSoS!

This chapter... was a bitch to get out. And the cause may or may not be because I was also trying to work on the first chapter rewrite for Sing Down the Abyss. Which is very different from this story and has its own version of snark. :C

Anywhack, read on my minions! Read. On.

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Chapter 5: Difference Between Man and Beast

…

"I can't believe I'm in this situation…"

Kelvin H. Emmerich, better known as the Carpenter Alchemist, was currently speeding along a bumpy mountain road in his car, intent on finding the little rat that had escaped him.

Apparently, he hadn't been expecting the boy to leave the _exact_ moment he'd received the wanted poster. And due to his lack of foresight, he'd completely lost track of where he could have gone. Not by one day or two, but three freaking weeks!

He'd initially thought the boy had been expertly avoiding him and started to blatantly ignore when the alchemist came calling for a visit. It wasn't until one of the worried doctors pulled him aside and voiced concerns about the missing child that he discovered the boy's absence.

Since then, he'd been driving up and down the mountain, stopping at intervals to see if he could find any trace of the child, but each time coming up with nothing. Frustrated, Kelvin finally got the sense to leave the Chut area and search the nearby settlements. However, he was thwarted again and again with each person he asked, all of them claiming that they haven't seen the boy.

Some very minuscule part of him dreaded that a large predator had eaten the child and it sincerely hoped that he'd found a safe place to stay. The rest of him on the other hand, cursed the boy vehemently for causing him so much trouble and once he got his hands on the brat, he was in a world of hurt. _'After,'_ Kelvin backtracked, calming himself, _'he's led me to that criminal, of course…'_

A large field with patches of white caught his attention and he slowed down to get a better look. It was a sheep farm and it appeared to be a very expansive property with a hay barn and a house sitting at the end of a long gravelly driveway. Kelvin sighed, _'I suppose it wouldn't be too terribly bad to pop in and ask. I may have been unlucky so far, but it doesn't hurt to be thorough.'_ With these thoughts in mind, he pulled onto the gravel and steadily made his way towards the house, his expression glum.

The sound of chopping wood could be heard somewhere close as Kelvin pulled his car in front of the house. He noticed an older gentleman swinging an ax at the side of the house and once the man noticed him, Kelvin switched off his vehicle. _'Well… It's now or never, but I suppose it would be best that I don't get my hopes up…'_ Ducking out of his car, Kelvin plastered on a cheery smile, "Good afternoon, sir!" He crowed, "I was hoping that you could help me with something."

With a hawk-like visage, the old man turned to him and wiped off his sweaty palms on his flannel shirt, "Afternoon yourself, sir." He gave a surprised grunt after looking over Kelvin's uniform, "It's not often that Diane and I get visitors, especially from those of the military… What brings you this far into the mountains?"

Kelvin gave a pleased grin, "Well, that's just what I want to talk to you about." At the older gentleman's questioning gaze he elaborated, "You see, I'm looking for someone and it's very important that I find him."

Still the staring continued and the alchemist began to feel distinctly uncomfortable under those beady eyes. He cleared his throat nervously, "Uh, he's a little boy. A little over 3 feet tall… with black hair and…. Uhm…" Kelvin trailed off and had to look away as the older man's eyes narrowed.

"S'not here."

Blinking, Kelvin stared back at the man as he grumbled, "Boy left here about a couple days ago, saying that Sable Rock was his destination. He insisted that he get there as fast as possible…" The old man trailed off, expression giving away that he was deep in thought about something.

Kelvin was about to ask another question when he was cut off mid delivery, "Now my question for you good sir," The older man gave him a critical look, "why are you so interested in Jay Mullins?"

* * *

Poster? Check…

Scarf? Check…

Spare Clothes? Check…

Fishing Pole? Check…

Matches? Check…

Jay rifled through the backpack and all the gear that Gerard and Diane had been so kind to give him upon his leaving of their farm. Checking and double-checking to make sure everything was in place before leaving camp. He hadn't been too elaborate on who his father was or why exactly he was traveling all by himself to find him, but the elderly couple had been helpful none-the-less and a bit reluctantly gave him all the necessary supplies he would need to survive. At least for a while…

The boy hadn't wondered long, at their halfhearted attempt to see him off. Jay knew that any normal child his size and age shouldn't even be traversing the world alone. However, he knew that they realized he wasn't normal at all. In fact, he was the very definition of abnormal and it was with this knowledge that allowed him to convince the pair to not follow him. But, being the parents they once were, they couldn't just let him go without anything to keep him safe and healthy. So currently, he was decked out in hiking boots with a dagger sheathed in the sock, a t-shirt, jeans, and a duster. All a couple sizes too large for him, but he didn't complain. At least he had some suitable shoes this time.

Content with the layout of his pack, he buckled it down, and slipped it over his small shoulders, jumping a few times to arrange it comfortably on his back. Reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a compass and map, spreading the paper over an old log to gauge his location.

From what Jay could see, he would hazard a guess that he was currently twenty miles south southeast from the old couple's house and making good time too, since most of the woodland areas were now flat and meadows more common. He looked over his marked destination of Sable Rock and frowned, he'd told the old man that it would be his goal, but being perfectly honest with himself he didn't expect to find anything there. Jay only heard his mother speak of the place a couple of times and they were always stories about her meeting his father. "Meeting" being the key word here. Just because he was conceived there doesn't mean that the fearsome-looking man would have stuck around.

Jay snorted, his pupils narrowing like knife-edges, and rolled up the map, _'Probably doesn't even know I exist anyway.'_ Hitching his backpack a little, he continued his journey, heavy booted feet crunching the grass with every step.

The days had gotten even drier since his extended stay with Gerard and his wife, indicating that the summer season was reaching its peak. But lucky for him, the wind didn't die down once he reached flatter terrain, so he was kept relatively cool, especially in the evenings. However, as the forest began to thin and the fields became more prominent Jay began to feel uncomfortable; being raised in a mountainous region, he was used to the towering trees and shadows cast by the surrounding mountains. Having such exposure to the open sky was a bit… unnerving.

It was with this thought in mind that kept Jay in the shadows of the trees, slinking from one area of cover to another. He always got the distinct feeling that something was watching him when he entered the open spaces. Waiting. Jay shivered at the thought and turned down a darker trail, away from the penetrating rays of sunlight that illuminated the grassland with a golden hue. He was about to breath a sigh of relief, when something in front of him caught his eye and caused the air to hitch in his throat.

A man, light brown hair tousled and clothes wrinkled, sprinted toward him. Circular sunglasses obscured his eyes, but Jay could still see the desperate expression in the furrowing of his brow and the downturned lips. Skidding to a halt before the boy, the man panted and looked behind him for a moment before turning his attention back to Jay.

Eyebrows rose in surprise and confusion, "Your-" He began with a rasp, but was abruptly cut off by the ricocheting of a bullet, splintering the bark of a nearby tree. Flinching away, he muttered a curse and darted past Jay, grabbing the boy's jacket in the process, earning a squeal from the child. "Sorry kiddo, looks like you're involved." He growled, ducking into the gold grass and tugging Jay along with him.

Jay hadn't a clue as to what was going on, but the sound of gunfire behind him and this man was a definite tip. Someone was after this guy, and Jay was an accidental participant, being dragged behind this stranger like a flailing piece of luggage. Grass rustled about them as they struggled through it, Jay occasionally getting pollen or seeds slapped into his face, causing him to sputter and cough.

They managed to quickly cross the grass field despite the trouble and ducked into another series of trees, Jay could hear the calling of men on the other side as they searched for them. But still the fugitive kept plowing on, barely concerned with the underbrush that scratched and tore at his clothing, his face set hard like stone. Jay wisely kept silent, until the man found a hollow of fallen logs and ordered the boy to hide, stooping down to crawl in himself when the child complied.

When the man had regained his breath, Jay whispered harshly, "Alright, I think I deserve an explanation now." The man gave a startled jerk at the boy's biting tone and narrowed gaze; "You dragged me along like a cow on a tow rope and didn't even give a reason why, so start talking." Jay bared his teeth slightly, showing off their pointed ends.

The man stared at Jay's features for a few seconds before answering, "I was being hunted and… well… these headhunters aren't exactly too shy about gunning down anything that might get in their way." He shrugged and took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose, "I made a judgment call and decided that it'd probably be best if you came with me, rather than get mixed up with those slime."

Jay furrowed his brow, "But wouldn't my following you, still by default get me mixed up with them? Besides who would hurt a little kid?"

He snorted, slipping the sunglasses back on, "Your pretty smart for a four year old."

"I'm five." Jay snapped.

"Whatever," The man waved his hand in a negating gesture, "The point is, kid, that there are people out there that would hurt you, no matter what your age or sex is. And believe me when I tell you, that those jerk-offs wouldn't think twice about killing you. They're about as low as low can get."

Frowning further, Jay's eyes flicked toward the opening, he could swear that the shouting was getting louder, "Well if that's the case, then shouldn't we get going? They'll search this whole area for you and if they're as tenacious as you say, they won't stop till they search every nook and cranny." His eyes snapped back to the man sitting before him, Jay's face an impassive mask, "If, of course, what you're saying is true… You've got a bounty on your head, how is it that I can trust you?"

A grin made an appearance showing pearly white teeth, "Cautious huh? Good." The man's smile vanished and he gave a guttural growl, hearing the enclosing hunters "You'll live long that way, kid. As for the trust issue, well… you need to decide that for yourself."

Jay opened his mouth to retort, when a yell from outside interrupted him. There was a burst of movement from the fugitive and he crawled out of the hollow, his footsteps pounding away. Jay paused for only an instant to think about what he was doing, before shaking his head and following the man out. _'I'm probably going to regret this.'_

They both crouched in the underbrush, trying to make as little noise as possible, so as to not attract unwanted attention. When they ducked behind another fallen log, the man whispered in Jay's ear. "Do you have anything to light a fire in there?" He gestured to the backpack.

The boy nodded and gave a hushed reply, his face twisted in confusion, "Some matches and a lighter, why?" Not replying the fugitive dug into the bag, rummaging around in pockets until he found the lighter. Then crawling toward a very dead tree near the grassy field, he flicked the igniter and brought up a tiny flame.

Hunkering down next to him, Jay watched as the man built up some tinder and made a mound of dried grass at the base of the tree. The man grinned at Jay, "Heh, so kid, you know what the difference between man and beast is?" Not waiting for the boy to answer he lit the tinder and said, "Man is much more innovative and far more unpredictable." The dead grass flared up and flame started to creep up the tree, Jay felt a growing feeling of anxiety as the fire spread, "Hope you can run fast kid."

Flames roared and the fugitive suddenly swept up Jay and they were running. The crackling of the fire quickly overwhelmed the sounds of gunfire, and Jay watched transfixed as the blaze rapidly spread, the wind of the plains feeding the beast as it consumed the dry grass with a fury. The boy barely noticed the man pulling him along, so enthralled by the inferno that he was surprised when the man put him down and shouted, "Come on! You need to run on your own, I can't carry you the whole way!" Jay only nodded dumbly and allowed his hand to be grabbed and pulled along.

Still the fires raged behind them, but now they were so great and gaining so much momentum from the wind, that Jay could even at the distance they were, feel the heat it gave off. Sweat rolled down from his hairline and Jay took a chance look behind them, what he saw made his eyes widen.

The entire northern horizon seemed like it was in flames, grey smoke billowed with great gouts and the very air appeared to shimmer like a mirage. No sound except for a dull roar could be heard on the field, birds and other small animals fled the area; Jay even saw a deer bound past him, it's brown eyes wide with fear. Looking up at the face of the fugitive, Jay saw that his countenance was grim and that his eyes constantly darted behind him. He was afraid.

They ran until they could run no more, both of them gasping for air as they rested against a bole of a tree. Jay watched, still recovering his breath, as the fire did something interesting. It leapt a good twenty yards in the air and came back down on a fresh patch of grass, igniting it. Never in his life, had he seen anything like it, it was beautiful and elegant in its own terrifying way. Jay closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

"We're gonna have to keep moving, kid." The fugitive stated, pushing himself off the tree and tiredly started to walk away. "If those flames catch us, we'll be done and the wind is a fickle creature, it doesn't like to keep the same course for long." Jay nodded in understanding and with a groan he too started walking.

Lucky for him, the man decided that they should be able to take it easy for a while, since they had been able to outrun most of the fire's path. Both were weary from their long trek, however they equally knew that they wouldn't be safe until the fire has died or they at least find a river.

Jay rolled his shoulders to ease the stiffness out of them, the pack seemed to be much heavier than when he had first put it on; he assumed that it was probably just the exhaustion. "Hey," The boy muttered groggily, "What's your name anyway?"

The fugitive turned his head slightly, glancing over Jay's fatigued face, "Clark. What about your's, kid?"

"Jay." He grunted, rolling his shoulders again, his face pinching in pain when the pack dug into his clavicle. Clark momentarily peeked at Jay's run-down appearance; then, his next action surprised the boy when he grabbed the backpack and slipped it off of Jay's shoulders to throw it over his own. "What are you doing?"

Clark sniffed and looked away, "You've been carrying this damn thing all day; I think it's time you took a break. Besides, what's a little snot like you walking around in the wilderness by yourself anyways?"

This comment received a glare, "I don't see how it's any of your business, _old man_." He hissed, unsuccessfully trying to take back his bag, "How about you tell this 'little snot' why you were being chased by bounty hunters, huh?"

"Ooh, someone's touchy!" Clark cooed, a large grin on his dirt smeared face, "Does someone need a nappie?" At Jay's sour look, he chuckled, "Don't get so wound up kiddo, I'm just messing with you. And to answer your question it's not exactly _my_ bounty that they're after, in fact, I don't even have a bounty." Jay gave him a baffled expression and his smile widened, "The bounty is actually for my boss, however they can't exactly find him so they need someone who works on the inside. I was their only lead so…" He flapped his hand around, "You get the idea."

Jay blinked up at him and then switched his attention on the new animal trail they were following, idly watching a fox dart across the path. Somehow, even though they were several hundreds of yards away from the fire, it seemed like it was a distant memory. But that could also be attributed to fatigue. "I'm looking for my father." He murmured, not noticing that Clark gave him a sharp look, "He's the only family that I know of and so far my best lead is Sable Rock, but… I don't think he's there."

Carefully analyzing the emotion on Jay's face, Clark felt himself sighing, "Well, you're probably right about that and Sable Rock's still quite the distance away from here. So…" He watched the boy's face fall slightly in disappointment and exhaustion. "We'd best be getting on our way." Shock brought Jay fully to life and he stared at the older man with a bit a surprise. Clark gave him a critical glare in return "What? Did you think I was going to let you go by yourself? A shrimp like you would be _way_ too conspicuous traveling alone."

One of Jay's eyes twitched, "Who are you calling a shrimp, you _old fart_! And I didn't ask you to come along, I don't need your help!" He scowled when Clark laughed and turned about with a snort, "Fine!" Jay snarled, "If you're going to tag along you better make yourself useful!"

Clark observed the boy trudging away with a smile, glad to see a bit more life in the small frame. However, when the boy was cloaked in shadow and all he saw was Jay's silhouette, a familiar figure came to his mind. Quickly, his expression sobered and he silently followed the griping child, _'Who exactly is this boy…'

* * *

_**A/N:** Fire in a Mediterranean environment... Sucks. Ever heard of California's fires? Yeah. This is what those are like.

BTW, in case people didn't know, Southern Amestris is a Mediterranean climate. Very hot and dry summers. Very rainy, shitty, and wet winters.


	7. Chapter 6: Heartstrings

**A/N:** Hoo boy! Happy Holidays everybody! Are you about as excited for the New Year as I am? If you are, then you must not be terribly excited because God knows I'm not. I never really knew or understood what the whole deal was and to be perfectly honest, I don't really care to know. It's just another year to me! Another year closer to old age and eventually death, now isn't that a happy thought?

Moving away from morbidity, how about we look at something happier? One of my regular readers has made some fan art of Jay and I've posted a link on my profile for everyone to see. Go look at it!

On to the reading! And like usual, if anyone notices any mistakes in grammer or spelling **please let me know.**

* * *

Chapter 6: Heartstrings

...

An arid wind blew lazily through savannah oaks, rustling the branches and causing some leaves to fall in a motionless creek. Contact with the water sent ripples dancing across its brown surface and mosquito larvae wriggled about in its disturbance, their small black bodies jerking spasmodically. However, the invasion of a human foot scattered them completely.

"Oi!" Clark called out from their campsite upon hearing the splash of water, "Don't go swimming in the that sludge, that's leech territory!" Setting down the wood he gathered, he looked down an incline to see the boy lounging with a fishing pole on a broad rock, his bare feet dangling inches above the water.

Jay gave him an annoyed glare, "You _really_ think I'd be so desperate to even consider going swimming in _this_?" He motioned to the murky water with a flippant hand. As if on cue, a bubble burped to the surface and a fly buzzed in a erratic fashion, only to fall in the the still liquid and not move again. The boy raised an eyebrow, but didn't take his eyes off of Clark, his lips giving an almost imperceptible twitch.

Clark was the first to laugh and it didn't take long for Jay to follow suit. The brush fire that the older man had so graciously put between the bounty hunters and the fleeing pair had spread all across the northern horizon and even now was steadily making its way south; marring the sky with a dark smog. Both of them had to keep a consistant eye on the progress of the fire and move quickly when the wind decided to pick up in their direction. Physically and mentally, they were both exhausted and needed a reprieve from the perpetual danger they were in. Lucky for them, they had just come across a low river and were currently resting near one of its tributaries. They could at least take a breather now...

Some of the weight now lifted, Clark grinned after wiping a stray tear, "Ah heh, man it's been a long time since I've had a good laugh... and it wasn't even _that_ funny!" He gave another snort and rubbed his nose, "I must've really needed that."

Taking a moment to regain his breath, Jay nodded in agreement, his shark-like teeth making a toothy smirk, "Well it makes sense, you've been chased by bounty hunters for who knows how long and to top it all off, you suddenly decide that a little bonfire would make a wonderful distraction." Violet eyes flicked to the smoky skyline and he nodded in its direction, "Only thing is your little bonfire decided to turn into a full blown firestorm."

"Yeah well," Clark shrugged and ran a hand through his brown hair, adjusting his sunglasses once he had done so, "There's really only so much I can do once the situation gets dicey like that, and since you were so well prepared for your journey, you provided best solution I could think of..." He became quiet for a moment and idly scratched at his chin hairs. Jay couldn't see his eyes behind the lenses, but he knew they were staring at him intently, "Speaking of being well prepared, where'd you get all this stuff? In fact, while we're on the subject, what possessed you to start this journey to search for your father anyhow?"

Awkward silence followed this line of questioning and Jay mutely glanced away, toeing the murky water below him. The larvae had returned to their previous position when Jay became distracted, now he was moving again, and the little insects disbanded once more in response. He smiled wistfully at the display, wishing for that moment that he too could hide away in a dark, murky place. "...My mother... she..." Jay started slowly, but choked on some phlegm and cleared his throat, rubbing at his eyes and nose when they started to burn, "...she... died... a few months ago..." He stated the last part quickly, turning his head aside so that the older man couldn't see his face. "I was... all alone. The village..." At this the boy took a shuddering breath and scrunched up his face, closing his eyes to stop the tears from spilling out, "...well they didn't like me all that much... so I left."

Jay sniffed loudly and rubbed at his face in a vigorous manner. Clark watched from where he was standing and shook his head at the display, _'No child should have to act so strong.'_ He concluded to himself, keeping silent when the boy returned to kicking at the water. _'He may be unusually intelligent for his age and a little strange in appearance, but that doesn't give an entire village the right to ostracize him.'_ Eyes narrowed behind tinted glasses.

"Sorry kiddo. You don't have say anything more." He muttered, mouth turning into a grim frown, "I can see why you'd want to set out on your own..." Adjusting his sunglasses again, Clark growled out in a reprimanding tone, "But it was _still_ reckless, travelling all alone like that! You're only four years old, what would have happened if some large predator came and attacked you?"

"I'm _five_!" The boy snapped, whirling about to give the older man a withering gaze, his eyes rimmed with a bit of red, "And what does it matter to you anyways? It's not like _you're_ my father or anything."

Clark sniffed at that notion, "I may not be your father squirt, but that doesn't mean I can't be concerned about you." He smiled when Jay's snarling expression turned into pleasantly perplexed, "What? It's not uncommon for people outside of family to care about another."

At these words, Jay's nose crinkled in disgust, "The last time a stranger told me something along those lines, he wanted to use me." Just thinking about that alchemist made the boy's neck bristle, and he narrowed his eyes dangerously.

The older man just chuckled, "And you think I'm trying to do the same? You have nothing I want short stuff, so don't be getting your underwear in a bunch." He grinned down at the boy and put both of his hands on his hips, "Your hometown may be full of suspicious biggots, but out here is the real world, and trust me when I say kiddo, that it's probably a hundred times worse than any backwater village."

When Jay's countenance fell into nervousness, Clark waved his hand in a negating gesture, "Now. Now. Don't get discouraged..." He consoled with a comforting tone, "Since this place is so unforgiving, it's even more important that I look out for you." Smiling, he continued. His voice becoming softer and maybe even a little sad, "We watch each other's backs, okay? That's how this world works."

Looking up at Clark, Jay could almost understand what having a friend was like. A true friend. One that would work with him through thick and thin. His suspicions for the man washed away and he too smiled up at him, a warm feeling spreading from his core to his limbs. _'So this is what a friend is... it's so familiar to what I felt for my mother, but different somehow...'_

Returning Jay's smile with an even wider one of his own, Clark tilted his head toward the camp, "C'mon kid, take your fishing pole out of that grime and let's eat some _real_ food." Jay nodded and started to reel in his line. "Besides," Clark persisted, giving the creek a furitive look once Jay began his ascent to camp, "from the way that water looks, even if you _did_ manage to catch something I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole."

Several hours passed after this exchange... Most of it being spent on preparing for the next day's journey and for days after. Once they had finished gathering enough wood for the evening, Jay checked for tools and utensils in his pack while Clark fashioned various snares for any wild game. This was done in a matter of minutes, so they both set out to forage for any edible plants and to set out the traps, the older man giving the boy a lesson on which fungus is actually edible and what could potentially send him on a one way trip to Happyville.

Luckily, one of their snares looped a rabbit and they happily roasted it over a spit, stuffing the creature with wild herbs and spices, and boiling some of the more edible organs in a stew. Having never consumed organ meat in his entire life, Jay was a bit leery of the whole deal and it took quite a bit of persuasion on Clark's part to even get him to try it. Eventually, the boy relented and was soon eating out of his bowl with gusto.

Stomach full, Jay promptly fell unconcious with a fork still clenched in one hand, too weary to even pull himself into his blankets. Giving a tired grunt of his own, Clark got up anyway and slouched over to the boy's prone form, lifting him gently. With great care, the man set Jay among his blankets and unwound the child's small fingers from the silverware. He snugly tucked the sheets around the boy and smoothed back some stray black hairs that had fallen in his face with a tender hand. He was just so small...

Shoulders slouched and a sigh escaped from a downturned mouth. They were to yet again have a long day tomorrow and to be perfectly honest, Clark was tired of this running business. He stretched up and scratched the back of his head, yawning widely. _'Well, there's really not much to be done about that.'_ The man thought to himself, while cracking some joints, _'The only way I'd be safe is if I lay low for a while, I'm sure the Boss'll understand.'_ An pained moan sounded when a joint popped in a not-so-pleasant way and he rubbed the offending region to ease the tightness.

_'But...'_ Clark reiterated and looked down at the sleeping child, who by the way, had completely ruined his blanket layout and was currently snoring softly with his navel exposed. _'I can't just take off and leave the kid all alone. He may think he can tough it out all by himself, but in reality the poor boy barely knows what he's doing. Hell, he doesn't even know if his father __**is**__ at Sable Rock and I doubt he even knows how to start looking!'_ Giving another heavy sigh, the older man knelt down once more and tucked the boy in. Tighter this time. _'I won't leave this boy, whether he likes it or not. He's had enough of that already, and if my assumptions are true, I may just be able to help him find what he's looking for...'_

His evening duty complete, Clark lumbered over to his own nest and rolled his blanket over himself. _'We should be striding into Sable Rock at about early evening tomorrow if my calculations are accurate.'_ Shifting into a more comfortable position, the man instantly felt his body going through the evening shut down routine. _'Once there... I'm sure... things will get... interest... ing...'_

* * *

_'Another dream...' _

Again, just like in his house and at the old Gerard and Daine's home, the familiar sensation washed over Jay, cradeling him in its nostalgic embrace. He seemed to float among the rippling voices around him, their cries pushing him along like an endless tide.

Unlike them, his voice remained silent. To him there was no need to bawl and carry on like the others did. _They _were weak. _He_ was not. They vocalized their wants and needs incessantly. Jay refused to fall so low; he was above such base impulses.

In fact, looking over himself, Jay appeared different from the rushing crimson faces surrounding him. Black lines ran along his arms, from the back of his hands to over his shoulders. His skin was a darker shade of red and felt hard like diamond, while his fingers were like talons, the nails sharpened to a dangerous point.

_'This is... a lot more vivid than my last dream.'_ Jay wondered in rapt awe. Compared himself to the others, he noticed that while they had only faces, he on the other hand had a full body, and it seemed he was on a totally separate level of... _sentience_? _'Was that the right word?' _He questioned with a confused expression, _'I'm more sentient than the others? More aware?'_

Jay felt a tingle run down his spine, _'But if I am more than what they are... What __**does**__ that make them exactly? What are we?'_ As if reacting to this line of thought, the faces buzzed even faster like a swarm of hornets and their voices rose in crescendo.

**'Wake up...'**

They called in unison in what was supposed to be a whisper, but due to the vast amount of voices it was more along the lines of a dull roar, sending all of the hairs on his body erect. It was an eerie noise and one that Jay wasn't took eager to listen to again. However, not ones to really consider another's wishes, they chorused again.

**'Wake up.'**

The sheer volume of sound beat against Jay's body and he felt his insides lurch in response. He could have sworn his heart had skipped a beat, and shook his head to clear the blurriness that had abruptly clouded his vision. Out of the corner of his eye he saw unusual movement and he turned to see that the red phantasms had parted and a black void appeared behind their writhing curtain.

**'WAKE UP.'**

Boom! It was like a gong to his brain and Jay slapped his hands over his throbbing ears in an attempt to block out the noise. Without warning, there was a sudden pain in his chest and he cried out, clenching the skin above where his heart should be. A vice seemed to coil around it slowly, like a snake to its prey, and Jay gritted his teeth when the feeling persisted. _'What... what the hell's going on?'_

Then, it pulled. And he screamed with terrible agony, his howls drowning out even the calls of the forlorn beings around him. It felt like his heart was tearing out of his chest by some invisible force, and Jay for once in a long while, actually felt afraid. The void widened with each tug and Jay realized then what was happening, _'It's pulling me in!'_ He struggled against it, urgently trying to grab at one of the fluttering faces but they eluded him, almost mockingly and instead repeated their irritating mantra.

**'WAKE UP!'**

'SHUT UP!' Jay somehow managed to holler with unbridled rage into the dark vacuum, his teeth bared, and his pupils like knife-edges, 'JUST SHUT THE HELL UP AND LET ME GO YOU BASTAAAARD!' Trying again to grab at something, there was a sickening crack and Jay stopped moving immediately to look down at his chest.

What he saw made his mouth go dry, _'It's only a dream. It's only a dream. It's only a dream!'_ He repeated to himself over and over again too terrified to think of anything else.

His sternum had been completely split open and his ribs splayed out in opposite directions to reveal all of his internal organs. Pink lungs undulated as he breathed in great gouts of air, his intestines spilled about unheeded, and great rivulets of blood dripped out of where his heart should have been. Instead, a red stone teetered about precariously in the place of that fist sized organ. As Jay watched, a crack appeared on the stones surface and then, slowly, it chipped away into nothing. It's dust falling into the depthless nothing.

Jay too, felt his crimson body start to erode and he could only silently watch in abstract horror as the distance between him and the red faces grew further. First, it started with his finger tips, the skin began peeling away like the bark of a birch tree. Then, once the skin left quite a bit of muscle exposed, that too started to vanish, shredding apart in thick strands. Finally, when nary a peice of muscle tissue was left, bone flaked away into the darkness until he saw nothing more.

Large bear-like hands grabbed his shoulders.

"DAMN YOU BOY! WAKE UP!"

Violet eyes flew open and Clark's blurry face slowly came into clarity. It was still dark out, but the difference was that a sound reminiscent of marbles falling onto concrete pounded around them. Still reeling from the shock of his... dream... Jay had a hard time making out what Clark was saying. And the bright flashes of light overhead, followed by a loud echoing crack didn't really help in the situation.

"...need...go now...river... fast...we don't...it now...won't...chance..."

Blinking dumbly up at him, Jay couldn't grasp his meaning with his sentence all broken up like that. _'River? What about the river? What the hell was that noise?'_ A bright flash blinded Jay momentarily and he blinked rapidly to clear his vision. _'What in the-'_ A rumbling boom shattered his train of thought and he sat up stock straight, nearly knocking over Clark in his effort.

Water was everywhere. Jay was shocked to see so much rain come down all at once and was even more surprised when he noticed that he himself wasn't wet. He looked up to find that a sheet had been tied between trees to act like a tarp for him and all of their belongings.

Clark talked into his ear, knowing now that it was far too loud around them to have a normal conversation, "I set it up the moment it started raining and started packing up right away. Unfortunately, you were so engrossed in what seemed to be a very vivid dream, that I had to shake you for nearly fifteen minutes to wake you up. The only thing left to pack is that blanket up there and then we need to book it to the river, else it'll flood and we'll never get across!"

Nodding in understanding, Jay helped Clark take down and roll up the blanket, their bodies instantly becoming soaked in the torrent. And once that was over with, they both made a beeline for the river, Clark, like usual, shouldering Jay's pack, leaving the boy nothing to carry. Despite this common irritant that usual ended up causing the two the argue, Jay was too absorbed in his own thoughts to really bother and Clark was too focused on the river ordeal to notice.

It was in this way, that they both travelled in silence.

* * *

**A/N:** Ew... Anybody have vivid dreams like that?

I... I'm kind of excited for the next chapter. c8 Jay gets to interact with... (gasps) PEOPLE! MORE THAN ONE PERSON? OMIGAWD WHAT AM I GONNA DO?

Pfft, see ya next time folks.


	8. Chapter 7: Root of the Oak I

**A/N:** First new chapter of the New Year! Whoo hoo! And finally, we are getting to some interesting stuff! Just a word of warning, this chapter has two parts, so the next part should be coming...eeeeeeh... whenever I have time.

Read on!

* * *

Chapter 7: Root of the Oak I

...

The party of two didn't have as much trouble crossing the river, as they had initially feared. Though the water levels were indeed rising, it didn't pose as a problem, except for maybe Clark who had to carry Jay piggyback, since the boy was too small and would have easily been swept away by the current. By the time they had reached the opposite shore however, they were both soaked all the way to the skin and were most certainly not going to be getting dry any time soon.

And so they trudged on toward Sable Rock, ahead of schedule, and still exhausted. When the sun rose, the rain slowed down slightly, they now had to contend with the resulting humidity. In the distance, where the sun broke through the clouds, steam ascended in pale snake-like wisps, fogging up the air.

Clark just wanted to get to a hotel and take a damn bath. His skin was sticking to his clothes and spots itched where dirt and pollen had somehow wormed its way in, his hair was a total mess, and he was certain that he smelled totally rancid. Looking back at the boy, he was sure the kid felt the same way, if his panting breath and distant expression weren't a clue enough.

Still inspecting Jay's appearance, Clark wondered aloud with a joking smirk, "Huh. Looks like we're gonna have to get you some new clothes when we get to Sable Rock, you're starting to look like me, kiddo. If this keeps up, nobody will be able to tell us apart." He turned back to watch where he was going with a knowing smile on his lips, expecting an irritated retort.

Nothing.

Blinking Clark glanced at Jay again but this time in confusion. He took the time to really scan the boy this round and he noticed that he seemed incredibly withdrawn, his lips moving occasionally as if he was conversing with someone or memorizing something. Clark's eyebrows furrowed and he came to a stop. "Are you okay kid?"

Jay continued walking for a moment, but stopped suddenly when he realized Clark wasn't in front of him. He jerked his head partially to the side to take in Clark's image in his peripherals. "Huh? Did you say something?"

"I asked if you were alright..." The man reiterated, watching Jay's tired eyes flick about uncertainly.

It was almost like the cogs in his brain had taken a standstill. The world about him moved too quickly for his mind to catch up and the dream from the night before haunted him like a darkening cloud, whispering at the corners of his awareness. Subconsciously, Jay rubbed at his chest. "It's nothing…" He uttered flatly, knowing good and well that Clark wouldn't be convinced, "Let's just keep moving, I know we're almost there."

For once, Clark didn't feel the need to drag anything out of the kid. It was apparent that he didn't want to talk about whatever it was that was eating him and the man was too tired to even attempt at having an intellectual conversation. So he just nodded and followed after Jay, a troubled countenance shadowing his features.

* * *

Kelvin paced around his hotel room impatiently, grumbling in a low disgruntled tone. He had arrived at the appointed town only a day or so after he had managed to worm his way out of that older man's hawk-like glare. Unfortunately, he hadn't anticipated that his travel time and the child's were so vastly different, being that one had a vehicle at his disposal and the other was on foot. On top of that, the weather was simply atrocious. Rain beat down upon the town in rolling waves, drowning the already dreary town in a watery demise. Finding the boy was going to be significantly difficult…

He paused in his pacing and peered out the window into the gloom, a sigh escaping from his lips and fogging the glass momentarily. Due to the recent weather, he'd been cooped up in his hotel, absolutely refusing to enter the stormy streets. One would think this to be exceptionally foolish, considering his quarry was currently on his way and that there was a distinct possibility that he could lose the trail again. But then, this man not being the most intelligent individual on the list of Scholarly Gifted wasn't exactly expected to exceed the standards he had paved before himself at the start of his career.

Another sigh made itself known when nothing was to be seen, except for a dark landscape dotted with the hulking shapes of house roofs and broken up occasionally by the dull light emitted from small windows. Since the town resided next to a large black stone outcropping, it was constantly shadowed by the monolith for the majority of the day and as a result made an even darker pall when rain fell. The scene was depressing overall and Kelvin was happy to turn away from it.

Instead of returning to his repetitive march, he slumped onto his bed face first and groaned.

Why was his life so difficult?

* * *

Grunting with effort, Jay finally reached the top of a steep knoll that Clark was currently crouched upon. It was high noon now and sweat was rolling off the both of them, so it was with much relief that they could view the shadowy mountain that gave Sable Rock its name. What _did_ dampen their spirits, if you would excuse the pun, was a dark cloud still hovering over the town, fingers of mist reaching down in grey filaments, indicating that rain still fell upon that region. Jay groaned at the sight, "How wonderful, more rain to brighten our journey... what's next? A spontaneous fire to spurn our fighting spirits."

Clark grinned down at him, "Hey now, don't jinx it! I've had my fill of outrunning a firestorm for this year; I don't need another one to lick at my heels for at least another 365 days."

Glaring up at the older man, Jay gave him a sour expression, "If I do recall correctly, it was _you_ who started that whole escapade to begin with. Besides, simple words can't conjure up fire at a whim, it's not physically possible." Standing up, he brushed off some stray pieces of grass with a disdainful look, Clark's smile widened.

"You never know, words can be powerful vessels," He retorted in a lighthearted fashion, rising to his feet as well, "They can be the rise or fall of nations if used in the right way, it just all depends on your execution." Straightening Jay's pack a little, Clark sighed and glanced at the boy, "So are you ready to go or are we going to jawjack all day?"

Giving a smile of his own, Jay eyed him slyly when he walked past, toward the awaiting town, "By the way, have you ever considered being a politician Clark? I think you'd be pretty good at it."

Chuckling, the man shook his head, "Hell no. Damn things give me ulcers just thinking about them." He shrugged to adjust the pack, "I'll never let those bloodsuckers get their claws into m—oh!" Clark exclaimed, making Jay pause his urgent pace in confusion, "Speaking of bloodsuckers, I almost forgot kiddo..." At this, he reached up and took off the round glasses that he had been wearing since Jay met him. Scrubbing at the lenses on his flannel shirt a little bit, he folded them up and handed them to the boy, "Here put these on."

Bewildered, Jay took the tinted lenses in his small hands and investigated them thoroughly, _'A gift? For me?'_ No one other than his mother gave him presents and they had always been books or new socks since he always seemed to wear through them so easily. Strangers never gave him gifts and he'd never had any friends to receive gifts from either. This was a whole new experience for Jay, especially since he didn't know what to label Clark exactly. He looked up at the man, his face a mosaic of confusion.

He raised an eyebrow at the expression the child held, his blue eyes piercing into Jay's violet, "What's with the face kid?" Kneeling down to get close to the boy's level, he took back the glasses, opened and placed them over Jay's face. Looping the ends over his ears and shifting them to cover his eyes, all the while surprised that Jay was even allowing him to be this close to his face, half expecting the kid to snap out of it and nip at him like some deranged shark.

The boy did no such thing and Clark backed up a little to get a better look at Jay's new shades. He coughed when he realized how similar the child looked to a certain person… only smaller. Considering this, Clark lay down the pack and rummaging around, pulled out the scarf that the old couple had given to Jay, wrapping it about the boy's neck and pulling it up around his chin to hide his pointed teeth. "There!" Clark said finally, standing up to view his handiwork, "Now at least you'll look a little less suspicious. "With those eyes and teeth, it's no wonder the people of your village were suspicious of you." Receiving a glare for this, the man spoke again, "Less educated people are usually the ones that are the most mistrustful." He explained, attempting to defend himself for his previous statement.

Jay huffed and scrunched up his nose, pushing the sunglasses higher. He was rather proud of his face; it proved that he was different from everyone else and that he wasn't cut from the same cloth as those mindless villagers. Never once had he considered his looks to be a bane and to have Clark say it to his face was a little strange… but then the wanted poster came into mind and Jay realized that looking exactly like his father was indeed a very unfortunate thing. Either the adults would think it to be a very clever costume for some look-alike contest or… that he was more than what he seemed. Jay shuddered as he remembered the alchemist.

"Thank you." He mumbled almost inaudibly and turned about to continue his way toward the town, making sure to keep the scarf safely covering his mouth.

Moments later, they reached the rain drowned city, their clothing getting a second helping of water. It had gotten so dark that it was almost hard to believe it was still the afternoon, though Jay figured that the imposing rock face probably had something to do with it. Very few people were out which was unsurprising, many of the outdoor markets had closed shop, everyone was too busy trying to get out of the rain that they didn't even take notice of the battered pair of travelers and their shabby clothing. Jay squinted through his newly acquired sunglasses, "So where to next? We've finally arrived but it's too dark and damp to go about questioning random citizens and I don't know about you, but I could really use a bath."

Clark snorted, "And you've got the right of it kid, lucky for us I have enough cenz to pay for a few nights, so we can probably hole up somewhere nice." He rubbed his hands together in anticipation for a hot bath and a soft bed.

Jay looked about warily and sidled close to the older man, narrowed eyes flicking about in suspicion, "Yeah, but not too ostentatious… I don't want to run the risk of someone recognizing you... Or me…" Clark gave him a confused look and the boy just shook his head, "Not now, I'll tell you when we have more privacy." With this, he grabbed a hold of the man's jacket with one hand, giving the nervous child act with his cursory looks and fidgeting.

They passed several places, however none were of the quality that they were searching for. Some were far too extravagant, others were too sketchy, and there was even one that was for the state military, though they avoided _that_ one like the plague. The air was getting colder, indicating that the evening was on its way, and they were no closer to finding the right place to sleep. Clark began to get a little cross and Jay was starting to shake.

A young woman with a frilly parasol saw Jay in passing and tapped Clark in the shoulder, almost causing him to jump. Turning around swiftly, he encountered a brunette beauty with dark eyes, Clark would have probably found this woman attractive, if she hadn't opened her mouth, "Excuse me," she uttered in a shrill voice, making Jay wince, "a small boy like that has no business being out in the rain! You ought to find a place to stay for the night immediately!"

Almost wincing himself, Clark made himself look charmingly abashed, putting a hand behind his head and bowing a little, "Tryin' to mum," He said with a twangy accent, "But ya see those big 'uns are a wee bit 'spensive fer our like and the wee 'uns don't got baths to scrub our bushed hides…" Clasping his hands together, he activated his pleading gaze, blue eyes as soft as a down blanket, "Ya got any advice fer us travelin' souls, mum?"

Noticing that she was about to shoot him down with a haughty "no", Jay intervened by tugging on the older man's cloak as pathetically as he could, talking in his best baby voice, "'M hungwry Uncle Twomas…" Yawning largely he added, "…an 'M tiwred…" Shivering in the accumulating cold he snuggled closer to Clark, his voice partially muffled, "…an is colwd ouside…"

Switching his attention to the shamming boy, Clark would have beamed but he had an act to keep up. So instead he knelt to his level, ignoring the muddy puddle and embraced the boy, "Dun worry yer wee head…" He hit a mental block. _'Shit!'_ Clark was never particularly good at making up false names for people, normally when situations like this came up there was a lot of preplanning beforehand and a position like this wasn't a good place to freeze.

"Come on! Think, before she get's suspicious!" Jay whispered.

"-Jillian." Clark blurted hearing a small groan of protest from the small body in his arms. Ignoring it, he continued, "This here kind mum will fix us a nice place ta stay fer the evenin'. Dun ya worry m'boy, old Uncle…" He trailed off again, obviously forgetting his name

"Thomas." The boy provided quietly adding a, "You're really bad at this…" into the older man's shoulder.

"-Thomas," Clark repeated, "will take good care of ya!" Quietly he muttered, "I panicked!"

The young woman on the other hand, saw not a scheming pair, but a loving uncle and nephew, obviously traveling to some unknown location with little money to spare, if their ratty clothing was anything to go by. Sniffing she pointed her nose up and proclaimed, "Very well, there is a hotel that goes by the name of Jargon's in the middle of town, they are not terribly expensive, but their service is good and all of their rooms have baths. If you go directly east of here you should find it well enough." With this she stalked away, her blue dress sashaying from side to side, frilly parasol bobbing through the grey rain.

Smiling after her and shouting a "Thank ya!" Clark bounced along in the direction she had been indicating, whistling a cheery tune. Jay followed, his face as dark as the clouds above them.

"Jillian? Really?" He said with a snarky inflection, "You seriously couldn't think of anything better that _Jillian_?"

Still giving that irritating grin, Clark happily retorted, "What? Jillian is a perfectly decent name and it suites our purpose for now."

Jay bared his teeth over the scarf, "But it's a _girl's_ name!"

Furrowing his brow, Clark's eye flicked to all the signs ahead of them and then looked down at the boy, reaching down to adjust the scarf, "No it isn't."

"Yes, I can assure you, it most certainly _is_!"

Eyes brightening, Clark rushed forward, "Ah! There's the hotel! Come on, kiddo! I'll race ya!"

Sputtering, Jay ran after him, narrow eyebrows making knotted lines on his forehead, "Don't _try_ to deflect the conversation! And _no fair_! You have longer limbs than I do!"

When Jay caught up to the older man he had paused at the door to wait for the boy. Nodding silently to each other, Clark entered the building and Jay followed shortly after him. The lobby was modestly decorated with soft armchairs and potted plants, a weathered old man sat patiently behind the counter, smiling widely when they both walked in. Jay noticed that all of his teeth were false and that his eyebrows were so large that they covered his eyes, it kind of reminded him of those long haired sheepdogs and he smiled at the image that particular thought brought up.

"Welcome," He wheezed, his old bones creaking as he stood to greet them, "I assume you are here for a room for the evening, hmm?" The old man pinched his face when he saw Jay's facial attire, "Why do you have those glasses on, boy? There's no sun out today…"

Clark piped up for him, "This here's what the doctor calls 'eyestrain' sir." He announced knowingly, nodding his head like it explained everything, "Had it ever since he was a babe sir, light hurts his eyes like somethin' awful. So he's gotta keep them shades on, else his little peepers start to sting like nobody's business."

"Oh! I see! I see!" The old man nodded in understanding, Jay could only stare in fascination as the man's face contorted in interesting ways, "So you want two beds and a bath for the evening?" He continued with business, no longer interested in the boy.

"Indeed sir!" Clark announced, glad to finally have some progress, "And how much is that?"

Punching in a few numbers on a typewriter, the old man replied, "5300 cenz please." Clark nodded and reached into one of his pockets to retrieve his wallet, fishing through the bills to get the exact amount, throwing in three coins to cover the 300 cenz. Grinning widely, the old man accepted the payment and tottered over to the register to file away the money. Coming back to the counter, the old man started writing out the registry flier, "Alright you are almost set to go; now I just need your names."

"Thomas and Jillian Patrickson." Clark provided confidently, shifting the pack around to a more comfortable position.

Never-the-less, the old man paused in his writing to look at Clark in a befuddled manner, "Isn't Jillian a girl's name?"

The man in question didn't dare to look at Jay, since he knew that his expression would scream "I told you so!"

* * *

**A/N: **Next chapter is the second part! So keep in touch, I'll try to update as soon as I can.


	9. Chapter 8: Root of the Oak II

**A/N:** And so with the survival of yet _another_ apocalyptic prediction, I bring you part 2 of Root of the Oak. Part 3 will be along... someday... I can't really give a promise on dates. Unlike _some _people. XD

Anywhack, enjoy reading! And as always let me know if there's any spelling or grammatical errors.

* * *

Chapter 8: Root of the Oak II

xXx

He was floating again… An annoyance in itself.

Why his subconscious mind found the need to show him these twisted dreams, was something beyond him, and Jay had become completely fed up with their haunting games. Images mocked him in lofty tones, scraping at his peripherals, only the scatter when he attempted to grab hold. He was captured in the ever so familiar tide of what Jay was coming to understand as his dreamscape… or perhaps it was memory…

Voices lurked in the crimson gloom of surrounding faces, grimacing in what Jay could only guess was some sort of eternal torment. Their clamor deafened him and Jay knew that he should probably feel sickened or terrified at the contorting expressions and want-filled wails. But somehow… the emotion eluded him. Huffing in irritation, he continued to let himself drift; contemplating on what could possibly be the meaning of these… visions.

The agitation about him grew, interrupting his train of thought. Phantasms bumped and jostled Jay about and he gritted his teeth in rage, 'You know, every time I try to find an answer to this problem, you manage to somehow distract me,' He growled to the faces, his pupils like slivers of obsidian, 'and to be perfectly honest, I've had it up to _here_ with your _bullshit!_' They drifted closer not even bothering to heed the warning in his words. A vein made itself prominent on his glossy scarlet forehead when a particularly obstinate façade sent him spinning into some others, who quickly began to coil around him. Jay felt himself suffocating and he scrabbled at the serpent-like forms around him, ripping those that he could grab off and promptly flinging them aside. It was a losing battle, those he cast aside only turned about to come again and soon enough, even his arms were pinned. The faces taking this opportunity to crush into him began to slowly squeeze the life out of the boy.

Something within Jay snarled awake and he roared, 'ENOUGH!' flinging his arms wide to shatter the phantoms about him. They broke apart like glass, dispersing like autumn leaves in the wind only to recollect and form a corridor of pillars before Jay, stretching above and below in the infinite darkness.

For a moment, the boy stood there… stunned. Almost unable to comprehend what exactly it was he had done. A feeling that something solid was forming beneath his feet brought Jay out of his reverie enough to look down and see black stone cobbling from his feet toward the newly formed corridor. Dazed, he took a careful step forward; making sure that the stone wouldn't suddenly crumble beneath his feet. It didn't.

Walls knitted together as the floor took shape, their black surface reflecting the light that the twisting pillars gave off. Stone archways formed at intervals, only to be slammed shut by thick wooden doors with no handles. Chandeliers hung down from a vaulted ceiling, illuminating only so much in the dim light. Soon, no sign of the void remained and Jay was left with a hallway that yawned before and behind him, for who knew how far. Looking about, Jay couldn't help but feel a prickle along his spine; it was like staring into the throat of some great beast.

Casting his eyes about, Jay's gaze was drawn to the nearest door on the right in the newly made corridor. Its wooden surface was worn and chipped in places but one large symbol could be made out, a short staff entwined by two serpents with a pair of wings surmounting the image. A sudden flash of memory brought the image of an open book with runes splayed across its pages… his book on alchemy theory… Caduceus… Mercury…

Refocusing his vision and shaking his head a bit to clear the dizziness, Jay once more looked over the door with a critical eye. No hinges or handles to indicate that it could be opened, and a firm push by the boy ruled out that it could simply be shoved open. Snorting in annoyance, Jay backed away from the door and glanced at the next one to his right. That one was even more in a state of disrepair, the frame was crushed in places and looked to be sealing the door tight; large splinters lanced out from the woodwork.

Blinking a few times, Jay turned his attention to the left and the door that stood there; it was still worn in places, but a bit of varnish could still be seen in the grains. Furrowing his brow, the boy strode in that door's direction, bypassing it completely when he saw no indication of a handle on its surface. As he headed down the passage his speed began to pick up, until he was in a full tilt sprint, raw excitement giving his eyes an eerie sheen. The doors steadily became newer and more polished, and if Jay was in any way right about this place, it would likely lead him to the answers that he was seeking.

The doors were painted now, the caduceus carved into them strangely glowing bright with a red light. Unexpectedly, the walkway ended and Jay tumbled out into the black void, a startled shout bursting from his throat. For a moment, he spun steadily in space, the dimly lit corridor somersaulting into his line of sight every time he made a complete circuit.

With some effort he managed to right himself and performing some makeshift acrobatic techniques, along with some minor doggie paddling, Jay also got himself back to the safety of the hallway and its wonderful gravity. Panting a bit from his efforts and slightly flushed from embarrassment, the boy gazed out over the edge of this, apparently, jig sawed world. _'It just… suddenly ends…'_ He wondered to himself, looking at the jagged rim of the hallway that bordered between concrete and nothingness, 'It's like, something took a big bite out of it…'

Standing, Jay turned to observe the final door, and his eyes lit up by what he saw.

It was pristine in every way. Instead of wooden frames, carved stone stood in a post and lintel arrangement, the doors themselves were solid steel with rivets holding hinges in place. Instead of being carved from the wood, the caduceus was welded to sit proudly in the center of the door, and to top it off an actual door handle rested on the left side.

With a toothy grin, Jay reached out to it, quickly wrenching it open with as much strength as he could manage.

Brightness whited out his vision.

xXx

A song tinkered around unrelentingly in his brain and the man couldn't fathom where it was that he had heard those lyrics. Again and again they played over in his mind, and it annoyed him to no end that he couldn't remember who had sung him the song. He doubted it was any of the girls that usually hung around him; they were typically too drunk to even talk correctly, let alone carry a tune. His underlings were completely out of the question; none of them ever sang anything as nice as this:

The strangest things are there for me,

Both things to eat and things to see,

And many frightening sights abroad

Till morning in the land of Nod.

Fingers tapped out the rhythm on the leather couch as the man's head rested comfortably on the cushioned back. Neck muscles corded and his pronounced Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke the lines of the song, his voice sounding flat and dull compared to his usual eager drawl. In the man's left hand a glass was clutched tightly, a pair of ice cubes and gin idly sloshing about whenever he gave a thought to move it. Violet eyes, dulled by the dark sunglasses before them, gazed at the colliding ice.

A sigh escaped him.

No women to entertain him. No schemes to keep his brain busy. No henchman to order about. Nothing. Except for the glass in his hand…

And that blasted song, which he was _sure_ it was some sort of lullaby.

The sound of the lounge door slamming open incited a surprised grunt from the reclining figure and he snapped his neck forward to get a look at the intruder. It was Trace, one of his henchmen and he gabbled incoherently at him in a very excited tone. Blinking sluggishly, the man leaned forward and with an apologetic expression muttered in a gravelly voice, "Sorry, couldn't quite understand you Trace. Could you repeat that?" Before the eager man could speak however, he added hastily raising a languid finger, "Slowly."

Nodding, Trace complied and cleared his throat, "Yes Mister Greed, sorry… It's just; this is the first we've heard from Clark in a long time and-"

"WHAT?" The one coined as "Mister Greed" exclaimed, suddenly shooting toward the blond haired man with a fascinated glint in his eyes, "How did he avoid pursuit?" He pressed, tipping his head back to swallow what was left in his glass in one go, coughing a bit as the alcohol burned his esophagus "And where is he now?" Greed rasped, placing the empty glass on a side table.

Encouraged by his boss's enthusiasm, Trace nodded vigorously and brought out a note, "It says here that his pursuers were hot on his trail, when he caught the prairie north of Sable Rock on fire with the help of some kid…"

Greed raised an ebony eyebrow at this and frowned, _'A kid? Seriously? Man, he must have been desperate.'_ He scratched his chin idly in thought and adjusted the tinted glasses on his hooked nose as the man before him continued.

"…Apparently," Trace persisted; growing excited again, "they're currently staying at a hotel in the downtown area of Sable Rock! He's presently waiting for your orders about…" He trailed off abruptly and his face then contorted into a strange expression, leaning forward to stare at the paper more intently and blinking a few times to make sure he was seeing correctly.

Noticing this, Greed raised his other eyebrow and sat up slightly, entwining his fingers so that his chin could rest upon them, "What's the matter?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

Trace shook his head slowly, "I… Well… it says here that the boy with Clark claims to have some relation…" He paused and looked back to his boss, emotions conflicted. "I don't understand sir, but it seems the boy claims to be related to _you_ somehow…" Silence accompanied this remark and there seemed to be a momentary stare down. Only problem was that Trace could see his boss's eyes which caused him to shift uncomfortably, not knowing if Greed was watching him or not.

Interlaced fingers clenched till the knuckles turned white and shark-like teeth ground together, causing gums to bleed, "What…" Greed growled out, making the hairs on the back of Trace's neck stand on end as he noticed a red sparking within his boss's open mouth, "What does this _**boy**_ look like?"

"U-um…" The underling stuttered, seemingly being able to sense his boss's rising ire. He scrambled to bring the letter up again and quickly looked over its contents, "Er… it says here that he has black hair and violet eyes with the body of a child… um… but the mentality of someone much older. And err… what I mentioned earlier about having a relation to you… specifically it says that the boy claims to be your… son…" At this last part Trace flicked his eyes nervously to see what Greed would do, unsure how he should react to it. However, what happened next was definitely not what was expected.

Greed laughed.

And it certainly wasn't the kind of laughter that was infectious; it was a kind that was completely devoid of mirth. It was forced. Crazed even. It was the kind of laugh that made a chill run down your spine and made a clenching in your gut. It was the cackle of a madman.

Trace backed away uncertainly. He knew full well that when his boss got this way, it was best to get out of his path. The young man nearly jumped out of his skin when Greed stood up suddenly, his laughter cutting off just about as quickly as it had started. "Tell Clark to bring his little 'friend' to me," Greed sneered, his boots clacking on concrete as he trod over to his private bar and poured himself a glass, "But make sure the brat doesn't know it's me he's being brought to…"

With one chug, he downed the scalding liquid and slammed it on the table with a large grin splitting across his face. _Finally_, things just got interesting…

xXx

When the bright light faded, Jay was in a park.

Children wrestled about, getting grass stains on their clothes. Parents kept their distance, but kept a close eye on their young. Couples sat on benches or walked arm in arm along a rocky lane. Some families sat down to eat their picnic lunches under the green canopy of well-trimmed trees. A nearby pond squawked with various types of geese and ducks as people chucked bread in the water.

Everything was so neat, tidy, and good lord was it bright. It appeared to be an early spring day, so everyone was wearing their brightest colors but still keeping some warm jackets handy. Blue, yellow, and green hues abounded, with only a smattering of reds and purples in what seemed to be the wealthier folk. Looking down at himself, Jay noticed that he no longer had his dark red skin with black lines, but instead, he was sporting his black suit that he had worn on the day of his mother's funeral and his skin had taken on a more natural flesh color.

Glancing around, he felt very out of place and quickly ducked into the shade of a nearby tree, blending well into the shadows. He frowned at the suit he was wearing, feeling his stomach clench painfully at the memory of seeing his mother's coffin being lowered into a hole. Tears pricked the corner of his eyes and he crouched at the base of the tree, sniffing mightily and scrunching his eyes closed. All this traveling had kept his mind off his mother and being with Clark made him forget how alone he felt. He missed her so much…

"From breakfast on through all the day…"

Jay's eyes opened quickly to the familiar voice and lyrics. Slowly turning his head, he saw the splash of pink that adorned the flowing dress that the petite woman was wearing.

"At home among my friends I stay,"

Long auburn hair fell over her shoulders down to the middle of her back, a wide brimmed white hat sat daintily upon her head, and a notepad was being written upon. Flowing letters being lovingly dabbed onto the page with a quill pen.

"But every night I go abroad

Afar into the land of Nod."

Creeping closer to the woman, Jay could tell that she wasn't exactly an expert songstress. Her voice faltered in odd places and she seemed almost afraid to sing too loud. But to him, it was all too familiar and it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He began to sing as well:

"All by myself I have to go,

With none to tell me what to do -

All alone beside the streams

And up the mountain-sides of dreams.

The strangest things are there for me,

Both things to eat and things to see,

And many frightening sights abroad

Till morning in the land of Nod.

Try as I like to find the way,

I never can get back by day,

Nor can remember plain and clear

The curious music that I hear"

Hot tears flowed heavily down his cheeks and he sniffed as he felt his nose begin to run, "M-mm…" Before her death, she had sung this song to him almost every night before he went to sleep, but now… The pain in his chest was so unbearable and he felt his stomach clench even harder, "M-mom." He whined, kneeling down by the woman and wiping at his face. A sob escaped him when she began to sing her lullaby again, "M-m-mommy…" He clenched at the grass by his knees and stood up shakily to look at her face, eyes somewhat blurred by his watery eyes.

A face a little younger than he remembered appeared before him, brown eyes looking intently at the contents of the notepad as she scanned over what she had written. Despite the fact that this was a younger version of his mother he still felt his heart wrench at the sight. "Mmmm… Mamaaaa-ha-haaa!" He bawled, doubling over and grabbing around his abdomen. Jay didn't dare touch her, because something within him knew that this image wasn't real, and he somehow felt that if he moved to touch the illusion it would shatter. It would disappear. And he absolutely did _not_ want that to happen. He wanted to see her as she was. To smell her scent. To hear her voice.

For now. For just a little longer.

Moving fabric caught his attention and he started at the sound of another voice. "Well. Well. Well. That's quite the lovely song there Miss Mullins," A male tone hissed, raising the hairs on the back of Jay's neck. It was a rough sound with an almost sinister twist and Jay suddenly got the feeling that he didn't want a man like that talking with his mother. Hiccupping a little as the boy attempted to calm down, he slowly looked up at the voice's owner.

He gasped as he recognized the face and form of the dark figure that hovered predatorily over his mother. A sharky smirk was curled above a square chin and round sunglasses, similar to Clark's, obscured the man's eyes. His clothing consisted of a sleeveless black muscle shirt, leather pants and boots. All of which were in no way appropriate for the slightly chilly weather that still lingered about. Yet here he was loitering about, not even a shiver quaking his body and seemingly able to melt out of the shadows like a wraith.

His father's grin widened even more when Natalie gave a startled jolt and twisted around to view her stalker, she visibly calmed when she saw it was him, "Oh it's you, Stranger…" Jay's mother whispered breathlessly, casting a furtive glance about to be sure no one was watching, "What are you doing here?" She asked worriedly, looking about once again as she carefully stood, "You know you're not supposed to be here, the police are looking for you and if my father finds out-"

"Shh…" He hissed again, placing a thick finger before his damnable smile, "Your father won't ever know I was here," The dark man simpered, retracting his finger from his lips only to entwine that digit around a lock of the woman's lush dark copper hair, "And as for the military police… heh, well, they're hardly a concern." As his one hand was currently occupied with her hair, the other reached around to wrap around her waist and pull her close.

Jay blinked at the dark and light contrast that pair gave off, wiping at his nose with a bewildered expression. _'They're… total opposites.'_ He wondered, observing as his father leaned forward to take a hungry kiss from the woman in his arms. Glancing away, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment, Jay chose to inspect a patch of crocuses at least until his parents were… done.

A sigh escaped Natalie as the dark man backed away, "You're treading on dangerous ground Stranger," She breathed, almost completely limp against his broad chest, "I'm to be married to Bordello Goodman this coming winter…" Jay's mother trailed off as the man's smile, if it were even possible, got wider.

"Ohhh, I see..." He uttered with a smug look, pulling her close once more, "Then we better not waste time…"

Wrinkling his brow at this comment, Jay decided that he didn't like the implications… _at all_. Because if what they were saying was true; and the boy undoubtedly believed that this was an actual event; then that meant he was an illegitimate child. A bastard. His mother wasn't married to his father; she was _supposed_ to be married to someone else… to some other man.

An arranged marriage.

"…" Jay mulled over this information, crossing his arms over his chest, _'Only rich people get arranged marriages and even then, it's not something that's really common.'_ Violet eyes flicked over to where his parents were striding away. His mother was smiling and Jay's expression softened in turn. '_Is this the reason why she never said much about her family?'_ He pondered, a slender smile lighting his lips as he watched her twirl the pink dress, _'Did she run away… because of… me?'_

Frowning at this, Jay withdrew his hands from their crossed position and moved to follow them, concern now muddling his features. _'If she did run from her family, then does that mean her fiancé wouldn't accept her pregnancy? Would she have been forced to get rid of me if she had stayed?'_ His feet moved faster, suddenly concerned with the events that occurred after this one.

The sound of a thunderclap jolted Jay to a complete stop and the images of his mother and father pulled away, flashes of color whipping about him as the park scene followed. "M-mother! Father!" Jay called, his pupils contracting to knife edges, "Wait!" He chased after the fleeing images, tripping over his feet for a moment before he recovered and ran faster. However, no matter how much energy he put into running, he came no closer and it felt as if he were running through a thick swamp. Soon, against his wishes, the vision disappeared all together.

xXx

"NO WAIT, COME BACK! OOF!"

A ceiling fan greeted an upside down Jay as he stared at the appliance in confusion. Starchy bed sheets were wrapped tightly around his waist and he was currently less than halfway on the hotel bed, the majority of his body now occupying the wooden floor. Panting heavily, Jay sat up as best as he could, disentangling himself in the process and looked around blearily.

Two beds sat about as far as they could in the small space that was their hotel room, with a window sitting between them. Close to the door on the left was a table laden with last night's impromptu dinner of bread and cheese along with their baggage. On the right stood another door, which Jay remembered was the bathroom.

Clark was nowhere in sight.

Giving a large yawn, Jay stretched his arms as high as he could and stepped toward the leftover dinner, ripping off some hearty chunks of bread and then slathering them with cheese. Rummaging around in his bag he noticed that none of the clothes he had packed were there and he grunted in irritation when he didn't see them laying around the room either. Chewing on the bread and scratching at his already mussed hair, he padded around the room on bare feet, looking under the beds and in the dresser drawers. Nothing.

Growling, Jay threw open the bathroom door and finally found what he was looking for. Jacket, scarf, extra pants and shirts were all hanging on the curtain rod above the tub and through further inspection by Jay; he discovered that they had been washed.

Humming in satisfaction, Jay stuffed the rest of his bread in his mouth and proceeded to pull some articles of clothing down. On one occasion, he narrowly avoided a hanger to the face, neatly ducking in time.

With his choice of clothes picked out, the boy lifted himself up onto his tip-toes and turned on the faucet, making sure that the water wasn't too hot. When the plug was securely placed over the drain, Jay then removed the clothes that he hadn't the chance to take off yesterday; making sure to place them in a neat pile next to the door. Afterward, with about as much gracefulness as a baby seal, he clambered over the lip of the tub and into the warm water.

Sighing as the water soaked into his skin, he leaned back and waited until the liquid had filled more than half of the bath and then quickly turned off the water.

Listening to the steady drip of the tap, Jay felt his thoughts drift back to what he had seen just before waking up. _'Could it really be possible that it was a memory?'_ He questioned, feeling his innards squirm. _'But how could that be? I wasn't even born at the time…'_ An image of the writhing faces and the dream he had of his organs being torn out came to mind, and he shivered despite the warmth that the water gave off.

'_I get the feeling I'm treading on something that's going to bite back…'_ Jay surmised, sinking deeper into the tub and setting aside those thoughts for another day.

* * *

**A/N:** You know, the way children think and move always becomes more fascinating when you begin to write about it. Children are so amazingly adaptive that it's sometimes mindboggling and I often think back to when I was little (littler... I'm 5'1'') and all the stunts I pulled to get things done, thinking all the while, "Whoa, getting a glass or a bowl was so much harder back then..." When you get older, you take a lot of the things that you did as a child for granted and I think writing in the perspective of a child has made me rediscover all the wonderful things that I had seen or done.


	10. Chapter 9: Root of the Oak III

**A/N:** After an atrocious amount of time I present to you part 3 of this chapter series. Next chapter will not be Root of the Oak and we will (hopefully) move on from Sable Rock.

And just as an FYI I would like to remind my readers that I typically don't stop writing something, it just takes a while because I am busy with other life things. But if I DO stop then I will post information on my Profile page.

Thank you.

* * *

Chapter 9: Root of the Oak III

xXx

Clark found himself in a busy pub down the street, impatiently tapping his fingers on the nearest shelf as one of the boys put him on hold. _Again_. They'd been going on like this all morning, playing phone tag from one place to another, giving no information on where his call was being directed. The last one had been received by a man that sounded nervous, and barely even gave him time to say his message before holding the line. Clark snorted and tapped his fingers in an ever increasing rhythm, _'This is all the military's fault,'_ He groused, thinning his lips, _'They've been tightening security even more lately due to the increasingly bold efforts on the Ishvalan's part.'_

Snorting into the receiver, Clark grabbed a hefty glass from the shelf that his hand had been resting on and took a hearty chug of the frothy beer, _'I wouldn't be surprised if the Boss started to get cabin fever…'_ He thought in amusement. Suddenly, a scuffle at the other end of the line caught his attention and he pressed the ear piece closer, "Hello? Hey what's going on? Is everything alright?" Clark furrowed his brow, feeling sweat trickling down the nape of his neck. The military hadn't caught them… had they?

A meek voice sounded on the other end, "S-sorry to keep you waiting, the uh… Boss was having… err… a moment."

Blinking at the wall, Clark felt himself grimace, _'Well this just got awkward…'_ Clearing his throat he stated firmly, "Never mind that, what are my orders? Is there a rendezvous point or are we going to meet here?"

The man's nervous chuckle sounded through the phone and he gave a terse reply, "You kidding? We've got military flunkies down our throats left and right, there's no fucking way we're meeting you." Clark frowned at the man's tone, but decided it was better not the call the guy out. He was just scared. "No your orders are to leg it to us and make sure you bring the kid with you." The man continued, "But button your lip on who you're bringing the boy to, we don't want to ruin the surprise…"

Nodding, Clark bit out his own response, "Understood. Give me the coordinates."

xXx

Jay stared through his sunglasses.

The old man of Jargon's Inn stared back.

…Or at least… Jay assumed he was. It was difficult to tell with all the eyebrow hair covering the elder's line of sight. It was a wonder that the old man could see at all. Curious, Jay tilted his head.

"What's your problem, boy?" The old man barked, inciting a jump from the kid, "Never seen an old man before?" He questioned in a mocking tone, causing Jay to scrunch his nose in annoyance. Of course he'd seen an old man, there certainly wasn't a shortage of them. He'd just never seen one as ugly as this one…

But for obvious reasons, he'd never tell that to his face.

Instead he asked, as pathetically as possible, "W-where Uncle Twomas?" While wringing the tail end of his scarf between his hands.

A caterpillar like brow raised slightly, "Your uncle's out attending to some business, sonny. So it'd be best if you stayed here and…" He trailed off when he noticed the scarf. "You know kid, it isn't raining anymore, so you can take off the scarf."

Jay froze, not knowing what to say. It was obvious that the old man was right; what kind of child in their right mind would want to go play out in the sun with a black scarf? _'Could I lie again and say I have a skin condition?' _He wondered, _'No, that wouldn't work. Stack too many abnormalities and people will start to get suspicious. I'm wearing __the scarf because it's cold? NO! Damn it! It's the middle of summer!' _Starting to feel himself panic, Jay started to grapple with any excuse that could possibly work.

'Chapped lips? No.'

'Allergies? No.'

'Bad teeth? No!'

Dozens of other ideas flashed through his mind like a movie reel and Jay attempted to discard all the ones that didn't make an effective lie. However, he was running out of time. The innkeeper was looking at him funny…

"Hey kid? You feeling alright?"

"I'M A XINGESE WARRIOR!" Jay bellowed while jabbing a thumb into his chest, and startling the old man with the sheer volume of his shout. For a moment, they both stood there in awkward silence, then realizing exactly what it was he said Jay blushed bright red and proceeded to flee the scene. Scarf whipping about like the foreign soldier he had proclaimed himself as.

Scratching his balding head, the innkeeper raised an eyebrow, "Xingese warrior? Is that what kids are into these days...?" He wondered. Grunting and giving a shrug he turned back to the typewriter, continuing his previous interrupted task, completely forgetting that he was supposed to have been watching the boy in the first place.

Meanwhile, Jay found himself in an alleyway several blocks from the hotel, panting not just from the physical exertion, but from the blazing fingers of the sun as well. Black was simply not working in his favor today... add that with all the evaporating water from the previous day's torrential downpour and you got a nasty mix of muggy earth heat and sticky humidity that made certain objects adhere to everything else in the most unfortunate of places.

Wiping his sweating brow with the end of his scarf, the boy took off his sunglasses to rub at his eyes. It was so hot, even standing in the shade was barely enough to stave off the stifling heat. _'Though...'_ Jay thought to himself, _'being between two heat radiating buildings isn't exactly helping the situation either. Best find a park with lots of trees... but first...'_ Searching about himself, Jay spotted a discarded wooden dowel among the refuse on the alleyway floor and after kicking some trash off of it, picked it up. _'If I'm going to play pretend like a real child, it would be prudent to at least act like one at least in the eyes of the adults.'_ Inspecting his prize, the boy whipped the dowel about and smacked it against the alley's brick wall. When it didn't break, he nodded in approval and started making a ruckus with it as only any five year old child could.

Sprinting from shadow to shadow, making noise the entire way, Jay strangely found himself having fun. Especially, when adults screamed at him to quiet down and to find a park to be noisy in. Laughing loudly, Jay went in the general direction of their enraged gestures and eventually found his way to the park. Still grinning from his short excursion as a hoodlum, he jogged into the dusky branches of the largest tree that he'd ever encountered.

It was an old oak the likes of which he had never seen, ten children about his size would be needed touching finger to finger to even reach completely around its circumference. Oddly, the longer he stared at the tree, the greater the sense of deja vu came upon him. Shaking his head, Jay shoved the dowel into one of his belt loops and plopped down on one of the twisting roots, watching as the obviously mad children played in the blistering heat. A girl in a pink dress chased other girls about in a game of tag, brown hair bound in a braid and crowned with a large pink bow. Oddly, she had a vague resemblance to his mother...

Stumbling a little from exhaustion, the girl looked over at the dark figure sitting among the trees roots and blinked large brown eyes. Jay flinched slightly and took the moment when she was distracted by one of her friends to slip behind the trunk. Not wanting to interact with the dull witted limitations of those his own age, the boy clawed his way up the oak tree, somehow knowing where all the right handholds were.

Finding a rather dark patch of leaves to hide among, Jay watched as the group of girls came closer to where he had been sitting earlier, led by the pink clad girl. "..not kiddin!" She whined, "A boy I never saw buhfore was sittin right here and he looked... su-sus... weird! I think he was a ghost!"

"Yeah right Beth," Snarked another girl with a blue dress who appeared to be the leader of the group. "You're just sayin that to get attention, 'sides we don't play with boys, they got cooties." She crossed her arms and several of the other girls nodded in agreement and made gagging noises.

"B-but..." The one called Beth stuttered, pulling up her dress and nervously picking at the lace.

Sternly, the blue dressed girl spoke once again, "Stop it, Beth nobody believes you! None of us wanna be your friend anyways so-"

"HIYAAAAA" Yelled a voice, making everyone jump. A boy carrying a stick leapt out from behind the oak tree and chased after the girls causing them to scatter and scream. More boys appeared and join the chase, waving sticks of their own around. The girl Beth however didn't move, too dumbfounded as to what was happening around her. Jay watched as the other girls ran off, leaving the pink clad girl behind and he frowned as the riled up boys surrounded the straggler.

A large boy, probably a couple years older and the leader of this particular pack of rats, strode forward and laughed, long and donkey-ish. "HehheeheeHA, that was fun! You should have seen the look on your face." He snorted and the other boys laughed as well, clearly pleased with how successful their game had been. "_Girls_," The large boy sneered as if it was some sort of slur, "are a bunch of scaredy cats and don't belong here. Go home and play house with your dolls." They all laughed again and Beth scrunched her nose at them, obviously insulted.

"We can play in the park if we want, Billy! You don't... It doesn't belong to you!" Beth yelled, fists clenched.

Billy snarled and grabbed her hair causing her to screech and then shoved her to the ground, making sure to pull out the ribbon as rough as he could. Jay's eyes narrowed as he watched the boys crow and as the girl's face became steadily more red and tearful. The large boy smirked and put the ribbon in his pocket, stating loudly, "For your punishment for going against my rules, you get to be thrown in the pond."

"No!" She gasped as several of Billy's cronies grabbed at her dress and hair to pick her up. Beth tried struggling to get away but the boys were bigger than her. Sighing, Jay was about to turn away when something niggled at his subconscious.

_You don't hit girls._

Frowning, Jay didn't think about what was going to happen after or why that particular stray thought made him do it, he merely acted. Jumping down from his hiding spot, an explosion of leaves in his wake, the boy slammed into Billy, booted foot smashing into the larger boy's bulbous nose. A distinct cracking noise following the action. Adrenaline pumping, Jay spring-boarded off Billy's face and flipped backward, unsheathing the dowel as he went. Landing slightly off kilter, Jay stumbled and felt the wind knock out of him as he struck the oak tree's trunk.

Wide eyes tracked his movement, too stupefied to utter a word. Billy's cronies stared as the dark phantom that took out their leader shook its head and rolled its shoulders. Violet eyes with slit pupils glared over dark glasses for a moment before the spectre once more whirled into motion. Screeching, the boys attempted to retaliate with their measly sticks but found that they were no match against this beastly creature's unnaturally swift movements.

Soon many found themselves kneeling on the ground nursing the large welts and growing bruises dealt by the wooden dowel. And standing among his fallen opponents, Jay stared at the object clutched in his right hand, unaware until now that he could even move like that.

Hearing a squeak behind him Jay turned to see Beth sitting between two unconscious boys, nervously chewing on her dress and staring at him with both awe and fear. Slipping the dowel back into his belt loop, Jay carefully picked his way towards the frightened girl, being extra sure to step on every fallen child that came into his path. Upon reaching the shivering girl, the boy stretched out his hand and mutter flatly, "C'mon let's get you out of the dirt..."

Hiccuping, the girl nodded and let go of her dress to grab his hand, teeth still clamped tightly shut over the hem of her dress. When Jay pulled her to her feet, he gently removed the cloth from her teeth, "Don't lift your dress up like that, it's unladylike." He growled, helping her straighten out her clothing and picking out any stray clumps of dirt or twigs.

When one of the boys groaned and made a move to get up, Jay grabbed Beth's hand and ran. Keeping his pace just slow enough so that the girl could keep up, he bolted to the nearest building and ran behind it, half pulling Beth along as she had already gotten tired. A loud din could be heard the next few streets over, and Jay could hear voices hawking their wares. Beside him, the girl panted and he wondered suddenly why he wasn't tired... Certainly he was sweating like a stuck pig, but he wasn't in the least bit exhausted. Could it be the adrenaline?

His eyes were suddenly assailed by a tangled mass of brown hair and he felt a crushing pressure around his upper abdomen. It took him several moments to realize that it was the girl that was hugging him, not a crazed assailant intent upon crushing his ribs. And it was before this realization that he had violently disentangled himself from her embrace and was currently faced with her hurt and confused expression.

"I...I wanted to say thank you..." She whimpered, eyes tearing up again, "...for savin me from those meanies." Beth sniffed now, her nose starting to run and tears running down her face, "Bu-but you're a meanie tooooo...aaaaaah..." Jay winced as she started crying and grimaced when her sobbing got louder. Looking around, he saw that there was no one on this street at the moment, but if someone heard her crying they were sure to investigate.

Putting a hand on her shoulder Jay tried to soothe her, carefully choosing his words, "Hey now don't cry, I wasn't being a... 'meanie.' I was just... scared." Her loud crying turned to whimpers and Jay smiled behind his scarf, he knew he was on the right track. "You surprised me is all, I thought I was being attacked by the really big boy! Haha, you're stronger than you look."

Hiccuping and sniffing, Beth wiped her face and looked at him with worshiping eyes, "R-really? But you beat up Billy all by yourself... How can I be strong? I'm too little and a girl!"

Jay chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head, "Well, you never know until you try and maybe you'll surprise yourself... Besides, just because you're a girl doesn't mean you can't defend yourself." Noticing that the girl was looking at him with wide eyes, Jay frowned, "What is it?"

"You talk like a grown up." She stated matter-of-factly, still staring at him with awe inspired eyes.

Feeling himself become nervous with the way she was looking at him, Jay changed the subject, "Uhhh... so where's your house from here, I'll walk you home so that those boys don't bully you again."

Gasping, she grabbed his hand and chittered excitedly, "You wanna come to my house? My house? Oh! Yes! Yes! This way!" Suddenly even more nervous, Jay reluctantly allowed himself to be dragged along through the streets of Sable Rock, passing vendors, shops, and many people. All the while with the girl garbling something about meeting family members and pets. As they continued walking and left the highly populated market areas, Jay had to wonder why parents would be so irresponsible as to allow such a young child to wander about where so many strangers walked about. He could understand his hometown as there were a significant lack of people, but a dense area like this he would imagine more people to be... well _more_ careful.

Soon the crowds were left behind and they entered into what appeared to be a more rural area. Fences and hedges lined either side of the well kept lane, while unlit lanterns hung from elaborate wrought-iron posts. Few people passed them by and when they did, rode in polished carts with groomed horses and stared at them with lofty looks. At these moments Beth would duck her head and perform a half-curtsy, which Jay initially thought was out of politeness. But when it occurred with more frequency the boy became suspicious of highborn conditioning and his feelings of unease continued to grow.

_'Why am I nervous?'_ Jay wondered, his stomach knotting.

An excited tugging on his sleeve brought Jay back to present events and his mouth dropped open a sheer size of the building they were standing before. A decently large lawn stretched around the property, and bushes that were cut in the shape of different animals dotted the lawn. The house... if you could call it a house, had three stories with four windows on either side of the front door, which was also extravagant. Jay felt himself sweating, _'This place not only stinks of rich... It's exuding an aura!'_

Grabbing him by the wrist, Beth half dragged Jay toward the mansion, pointing out the different topiaries along the way and in some cases unsuccessful in pronouncing their names. Along the way, Jay noticed that there were quite a few garden tenders and that all of them gave him cursory looks, as if they recognized him. Frowning, he adjusted his glasses and the scarf, his sweat making the fabric stick again.

Before reaching the front door, a young man in a black suit exited and stood before it, arms crossed behind his back. He seemed a bit imposing, if a little slender, and it was part of this reason that Beth slowed down.

Bowing from the waist the man spoke, "Good afternoon, Miss Elizabeth. It's good to see that you have returned." Standing straight again, he stared down at her with an almost hawk-like gaze, making the girl stiffen, "Your mother, Lady Caroline was very concerned when your friends returned to their homes and you were not reported to be among them." His black eyes flicked over to Jay, taking in his disheveled sweaty appearance, and then back, "Am I to understand that you were with this..." Trailing off, the man gestured in Jay's direction, clearly intent upon not finishing his sentence and thus allowing the insult to linger.

"Um... yeah..." Beth mumbled, picking at the hem of her dress, "He's my friend... I... He..." Muttering quietly to herself, Beth quickly became silent and settled upon nervously shuffling her feet and appearing to take great pains to not lift up her dress and hide her face. Noticing this, Jay unwound his wrist from her grip and grabbed her hand in an effort to reassure her.

Looking up at the haughty man, Jay half growled, "Beth was...being picked on." Pausing, the boy tried gathering his thoughts. _'Don't make him suspicious...'_ He clenched her hand tighter, "The boys... they were mean and I beat them up. Cuz... you don't be mean to girls!"

Rapidly blinking at the sudden loud volume of the boy's voice, the man sniffed, "Well if you insist to have a play date with this... child, Miss Elizabeth I can hardily object." When the girl smiled widely he raised a warning hand, "However, the ultimate decision rests with your Mother, and I as your butler will have to take responsibility for letting him in the house."

Squealing, Beth rushed over and hugged the man, "Terry your the best! Thank you!" She squeaked, trying to squeeze as tightly as possible.

Clearing his throat, Terry patted the girl's head, "Yes. Yes. Thank you very much Miss Elizabeth, now please take your friend inside and be _very_ well behaved please." At this he gave Jay a penetrating stare, subliminally expressing that funny business would not be tolerated in this household.

In response, Jay crossed his arms and leaned to the side. Not so covertly stating, _'What would you do if I did?'_

Glaring, Terry ushered them both into the mansion, keeping a careful eye on the boy as he did so. Uncaring of the butler's eye, Beth led Jay through the hallways, stopping every now and again to let Jay inspect something interesting. The place was so decorated, that the boy had trouble not being distracted by anything. When they at last had reached their destination, Beth was trying to pull Jay away from an interesting vase. "C'mon!" She whined, "I want you to see my Mommy so I can play with you! Why do you wanna look at boring stuff?"

"Because I don't have it." Jay muttered simply, earning a huff from the girl and a sniff from the butler. "I... never got to see stuff like th-"

A sound like a feminine cough interrupted him, causing Jay to look where he had been walking to. They were now in a lavishly decorated parlor with dark green curtains and rug with gold trimming. Sitting on a couch with a cup and saucer in each hand sat a woman in her early 20's. Long hair draped around her shoulders with elaborate clasps keeping the auburn strands from getting in her face. Her eyes were a hard cold blue, that seemed to pierce right through Jay and her face was rigid, pointed, and seemed to be caked with cosmetics, as if it would hide her unattractiveness.

Sipping from her tea cup, eyes never straying she uttered in a shrill voice, "Elizabeth, what is this you have brought into my house?" Jay noticed how she put emphasis on 'my' and wrinkled his nose, displeased by the obvious possessiveness of her tone.

When Beth was silent and seemed much more interested in inspecting her shoes, Jay stepped forward and bowed quickly, "My name is... Ian ma'am. Ian Peter Patrickson." At a disdainful snort from the woman, Jay looked up at her. She held a hand to her lips and had set down her cup and saucer.

"Oh my," Caroline chuckled, her laugh very much akin to a quacking duck, "A _gentleman_ lay beneath those rags how quaint. Shall I give you my hand so that you may kiss my ring and swear fealty to me, oh noble knight? Ahahaha!" Not really understanding what was happening Beth laughed uncertainly, while the butler shook with rolling chortles. Scowling, Jay straightened slowly, rage burning in a pit of his stomach and embarrassment coloring his cheeks.

Calming herself, Beth's mother wiped the corner of her eye, "Oh gracious I must apologize, perhaps I should return the favor Mr. Patrickson." Placing a spidery hand on her rather shapeless chest, the woman intoned in a self absorbed voice, "I am Mrs. Caroline Isabelle Mullins-Goodman, the fair lady of this humble household."

* * *

**A/N:** Aaaaand CLIFFHANGER. :D

See you next time folks and remember that I enjoy REVIEWS they give me energy and motivation. Critiques, Theories, and/or Complements are always welcome!


	11. Chapter 10: Rise and Rise Again

**A/N:** Uhh... *looks over to see people standing there* OH HI! Yeah that's right I have a chapter for you guys... after like... a whole year... :T

...

...

OOPS!

* * *

Chapter 10: Rise and Rise Again

xXx

Jay felt the nape of his neck grow sweaty and his mouth go dry. _'This can't be happening...'_ He thought frantically, his dream from the previous night coming back to him. His parents. The Goodman Family. _'Everything in that dream... had been the truth.'_ Jay reasoned, slowly releasing his clenched hands, _'And its realistically impossible for the Goodman's story to simply end there... A rich family would have just moved on, and in this case...'_ He stared at the woman before him, his expression unreadable, _'...they chose my Aunt.'_ Bile rose up in Jay's throat and he took several moments to swallow it back down; he'd never been particularly good about surprises.

A small hand grabbed his own and he looked to see Beth staring at her mother with determination shining in her eyes. "S-so Mommy," She started, her voice slightly wavering, "Can he come play with me? I promise we'll be good."

Sighing so heavily that Jay was certain her ribs cracked, Mrs. Goodman smoothed out nonexistent flaws in her dress and uttered, "My dear Elizabeth I've had this discussion with you many times: You cannot just bring random strangers from God-knows-where and expect me to allow it. This _boy_ is filthy..." Jay glared at her dismissive wave and resisted the urge to wipe himself down.

Sure he had a loose hair here and a small twig there, but at least he wasn't covered head toe in dirt and tracking mud all over the floor. So his current state wasn't really anything to sniff at right? He wasn't _that_ dirty...

"And besides," the intolerable woman continued, "you have better _bred_ children to spend your playtime with my dear, which is why I orchestrate those play dates to begin with." Languidly, Mrs. Goodman turned her attentions to her saucer of tea, her pointed face a mask of haughty arrogance.

Beth's face, which thankfully had inherited all of the good genes, darkened slightly as she stomped her foot and gripped Jay's hand tighter, "But. I . Don't. LIKE. Them!" She all but screeched, nearly making Jay jump out of his skin from her sudden fierceness, "They're mean to me all the time, and callin' me dumb and stuff... They left me when some boys came to pick on us and I was by myself." She sniffed, but seemed to be trying her best not to let her tears fall. Jay gave her hand a reassuring clench.

Bolstered by his unsaid support, Beth wiped at her eyes and stood up straight, "But Ian saved me! He beat them all up just like a knight in all the stories Mommy!" She then turned to him with such devout admiration that Jay felt the nervousness build again. The thin arms that then coiled around his own did little to smother that unease.

_'What's worse... My own cousin having a crush on me or announcing my true identity?'_He thought to himself, still feeling a little sick, knowing that either scenario came with its own undesirable consequences. _'… I'm going to have to remedy this... _soon_.'_ Jay deadpanned and silently observed the emotions fly across the thin woman's face.

Expression settling on anger, Jay's aunt slammed down her cup, spilling tea all over the side table and probably ruining the decorative tablecloth. "Who did this?" She snarled, her hands clenching the arms of her chair like talons, her piercing eyes becoming even more jagged, "Who were the boys who did this!?" Mrs. Goodman yelled, making Beth step back in fear.

"Uhm... they... uh..." the now very meek girl muttered, clenching Jay's hand tighter and withdrawing a bit.

"WHAT?!" Mrs. Goodman shrieked, her nails digging into the chair even more, and arching her back slightly as she leaned forward. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU! SPEAK UP YOU INSUFFERABLE _CHILD_!" She hissed, her pointed features twisting and cracking her cosmetics, causing them to crumble onto the carpet. "DO THESE INSIGNIFIGANT PEONS EVEN _KNOW_ WHO THEY ARE DEALING WITH?! I... AM... PRACTICALLY ROYALTY!" Standing up suddenly, Mrs. Goodman towered over Beth and Jay, gesturing with one of her talon-like fingers in the direction of a large painting hanging over the entrance of the parlor. Its contents depicted a man astride a noble steed in an ancient military garb charging into battle with an army chaotically falling before him. "This... is PROOF of my claim." She uttered in a strangely dangerous voice. "My family has been ruling these lands for GENERATIONS, fending off any would be foe with a military might that has gone unchallenged to this day..." Caroline paced like a beast caught in a cage, pantomiming with her hands as if she were in a play.

Whirling about to face Jay and Beth again, Mrs. Goodman's eyes were wide and deranged, "These people should be WORSHIPING US! PRAISING US FOR KEEPING THE ENEMY OUT OF OUR LANDS. OUT OF THEIR HOMES!" Inhaling, she whipped around and strode toward the painting, growling between clenched teeth, "But what do we get? _Garbage_! _Slop!_ Treating us as common urchins on the street! We deserve better! We deserve more!"

Jay held back a scoff and languidly looked around the lavish parlor, _'Right... garbage.' _He thought sarcastically, _'And I imagine not one of these objects will sell beyond 1,000,000 cenz. How deplorable.'_ Shifting from one foot to the other, Jay noticed that Beth had removed herself from his arm. Turning around slightly, he saw that she was chewing on the hem of her dress again, eyes fixed upon her mother in abstract terror. He narrowed his eyes.

"But you!"Caroline snapped, hair falling out if their pins as she whirled around to point a jagged finger at her daughter, who squeezed her eyes shut and whined, "You are far too meek to these pathetic creatures! Where is your AUTHORITY?! WHY DO YOU EMBARRASS YOUR MOTH-"

Feeling something loom over her and fearing that she would be struck, Beth recoiled from the hovering form... Waiting for the blow to come.

…

Nothing happened.

Beth opened her eyes.

xXx

There comes a time in a man's life when everything in the world goes their way. As if the stars themselves aligned to bring them joy and prosperity, and at the end of the day, a hard days work leaves them with a sense of accomplishment at doing their duty.

Unfortunately for Clark... today wasn't that day.

Numbly, the man stared down at a note carelessly slapped onto the bathroom mirror, the words "GOING OUT. -J" blared at him in big chicken-scratched letters. And the only words that came from his mouth were, "Man... his penmanship is atrocious..." When really his mind was a rampage _'Where the hell did that little shit go?! Doesn't he know how much danger he could be in?! God DAMN IT!'_

Plucking the paper from the mirror, Clark shoved it in his pocket and stomped out the door. Making sure to lock his room, he made his way to the front desk where the elderly innkeeper manned his post. Slamming his hands on the counter and with all traces of his twangy accent from the previous encounter gone, Clark snarled at the older man "_Where_ is my kid? You were supposed to be watching him!"

The old man recoiled from the vicious tone, cringing as Clark's blue eyes bore into him, "I... he... came out looking for you sir." He wheezed, sweat starting to dot his forehead, "I... told him that you were busy; then he bolted out faster than a jackrabbit, claiming that he was a Xingese warrior or something!" Growling Clark grabbed at the innkeeper's collar, bringing him closer to his face, "T-that's all I know!" The old man stuttered, "I swear! I didn't see where he went." Blue eyes narrowed at that statement and the innkeeper shuddered, "Please! Calm down. I have something to tell you..."

Relaxing, Clark lowered the man behind the counter. His furious expression changing swiftly to calm. "Sorry..." He murmured, running his hands over the innkeeper's shoulders to smooth out the wrinkles, "I didn't mean to frighten you... it's just getting dark, and this is an unfamiliar town..."

"I-it's alright..." The old man replied, straightening out his clothing even more, and wiping the sweat from his brow, "I think I understand..." Eying Clark and then outside the innkeeper motioned him to come closer. Hesitantly, the younger man complied, lending the old man his ear, "The moment I saw you boys, I knew there was going to be trouble." Whispered the innkeeper, his lips drawn tight. "A military man came by a day or so before you two showed up, asking about a boy with black hair and violet eyes," Clark blinked in surprise, and the innkeeper nodded, "He told me and I'm sure he told others that they were to keep an eye out and report to him their findings, but I dunno..." His face was a mass of wrinkles as he frowned, "That man... he was an alchemist but he was as slick as a weasel dipped in oil. I'd wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him."

Clark leaned back and looked over the innkeeper with a critical eye, "Then why let him go outside? If that alchemist is prowling about, won't there be a danger of him being seen?"

The innkeeper shook his head, "There are a lot of people here, a child cooped up inside just when the sun has finally come out is quite suspicious." He cleared his throat and coughed a little, and began to pull something from his back pocket, "Besides, it appears the alchemist doesn't believe that the kid is traveling with someone, you provide a decent cover." Finding what he was looking for, the old man brought out a flask, took a big swig of it and shook his head. The sharp scent of whiskey made Clark's nose crinkle.

"So you don't know where he is." Clark stated flatly, earning a nod from the old man. "How am I supposed to find him?"

"I think my son could fill you in better than I..." The innkeeper said, motioning to someone outside to come in. A man shorter than Clark entered, wearing miner's clothing and covered in what looked dirt and coal. "This is my son, York." The old man announced, to which York tipped his hat at Clark in greeting, "I sent him to watch over you're kid when he bolted out of here, he should be able to tell you where he ran off to."

York turned to Clark, "Firs' things we gotta do though is get you some new kit." He stated motioning over Clark's current clothes, "Can't be prancin' about town lookin' like a vagabond yeah? Dun worry, we'll get some fer the kid too."

Clark nodded slowly, not quite sure why these random strangers would go out of their way to help. But if they could get them to Jay, then it was all the better. He just hoped that the boy hadn't managed to get himself into trouble...

xXx

Standing between his enraged aunt and the cowering girl, Jay stared impassively into Mrs. Goodman's eyes, his circular sunglasses allowing his violet eyes to peek over their rims. One hand had been outstretched to herd and keep Elizabeth behind him, while the other was simply upraised in a stopping motion. The girl in question peeked around the edge of Jay's coat, her fear and awe paralyzing her as she gazed upon the exchange between her hero and her terrifying mother.

Mrs. Goodman had her hand poised like a viper, and she glowered at the dark creature standing before her. She recognized those eyes, those beautiful and enticing eyes. Was this child... No. It couldn't be.

"Who ar-" A resounding knock interrupted her and she looked toward the sound. It was coming from the front door and from the sound of things this person was very impatient. After the second set of knocks started she rounded on her butler, "Don't just stand there idiot, answer the door!" With a stiff bow, Terry as quick as he could without running went to meet the impatient person. Smoothing back some stray locks, Mrs. Goodman turned back to the children, her anger seemingly dissipated. "Now... where were we? … Ah yes... Tell me who you are boy." She ordered, sharp eyes piercing into his own with an emotion that Jay couldn't quite identify... Yet made him distinctly uncomfortable.

She drew closer, that faraway look still in her eyes, and Jay felt the back of his neck prickle. _'That... isn't a gaze you give to children.'_ He thought with an internal shudder. The boy however stood his ground and refrained from flinching when her long nailed hand came in to cup his face.

"Remarkable..." Caroline whispered, her face mere centimeters from his own, "You look... just like him." A long finger hooked under the frame of his glasses and removed them, another hand unwound the scarf. Both articles fell to the floor. "Yes... young in the face, but almost exactly identical..." She looked into his eyes and gasped as the pupils thinned in a cat-like manner, she back quickly away when those same eyes narrowed.

Jay's lip curled to reveal his jagged teeth, "How depraved of you madam," the boy hissed, displeasure lacing his tone. Caroline jumped at his voice, her expression clearly displaying her shock and awe at the change, when only moments ago he had been speaking as any child would. "To think you would come so close to molesting a 5 year old child, for something as simple as having similar features to his sire." He grinned a shark-like smile, "At this point, I'm not surprised why my mother left. Such a disgusting display of lust leaves me thinking that it wasn't just my mother's beauty that you were envious of."

Caroline felt her face color, "Y-you... How..."

"My lady." They both heard Terry's voice call, "You have another guest... He... I think you may be interested to hear this."

Still staring at Jay with a mixture of confusion and fear, Mrs. Goodman only slightly tilted her head, "Uhm... yes... Bring them in..." Jay watched as her throat constricted to swallow and a bead of sweat rolled from her temple, further smearing the makeup on her face. Parts had broken off and were laying on the floor, so her face now looked akin to a broken mask, probably a ironic metaphor for her life. Footsteps sounded at the parlor entrance and then abruptly stopped with a squeak.

"Well. Well. Well. If this isn't a stroke of good fortune..." A familiar voice drawled.

Jay's eyes widened and time seemed to slow as he turned toward the voice, his lips parted in surprise. Every noise in the vicinity became amplified; the sound of Beth and Caroline's steady breathing, the breeze coming in through the parlor's window, the rustle of cloth as everyone's bodies turned to look at who had spoken, the creak of Jay's own eye sockets as the small organs rotated, the beating of his own heart...

All those things became an echo, as soon as the boy looked upon that familiar arrogant face.

Kelvin H. Emmerich cheerily waved at the stunned boy, a strange glint in his eye, "We meet again Jay Mullins."

The boy in question felt as if he'd been sucked into a vacuum; he knew that the alchemist would come looking for him... it was just... he hadn't expected that he would catch on so quickly. _'There's more to this man than I had initially expected.'_ Jay thought, his expression shifting from surprised to a steady glare.

"What's this?" Kelvin asked in mock bemusement, "No greeting? No snide comments? No witty remarks about my intelligence?" When Jay didn't respond, he raised his eyebrows and took a few steady steps forward. "Oh I see... giving me the silent treatment. How adorable." The alchemist's pleasant smile then turned into a deep frown and he uttered in a very monotone voice, "You should come with me, Jay Mullins... We have... _much_ to discuss."

Violet eyes narrowing into slits Jay sneered, "What? So you can keep an eye on me? I think not." He grinned thinly, "I was onto your little game from the beginning, it was painfully transparent; though maybe you knew that already..." Jay frowned as the man drew closer.

Bolting into action the moment the alchemist flexed his fingers, Jay made a beeline for the open window in the back of the parlor. Cursing, Kelvin ripped off his gloves and slapped his hands together, the alchemical array etched into each palm activating as the formula proved to be complete. Dashing for the side table he slammed his palms on the exposed wooden surface, causing rope-like chunks of wood to snake out and grasp at Jay's fleeing form.

Hearing a strange electrical sound, Jay turned to see what had produced the noise, only to bend back just in time to avoid a wooden vine intent upon his capture. He ducked out of the way of several more vines, weaving about gracefully like a professional dancer before he lost balance and scrambled with the aid of his hands across the remaining carpet. Without hesitation he leaped through open window head first, tucking his head under his arms and rolling over his right shoulder when he impacted the ground.

Grunting as he struggled to get back on two feet again, Jay blinked away the sudden dizziness and started running. Ducking behind a rose bush some distance from the house, he looked back for a moment and saw the alchemist leaning out the window attempting to spot him. Lucky for Jay it had grown considerably dark and there was no way that the man would be able to see him easily. Smirking to himself, Jay began to slowly slink away to the property line, keeping his head low.

However, the moment he reached the hedge wall, a well muscled arm reached out and slapped a hand over his mouth, cutting off a surprised snarl before pulling Jay into the brush.

xXx

Kelvin gritted his teeth as he stared out into the darkness of the Goodman's estate garden, his hands gripping the windowsill in unbridled rage, turning the knuckles white. "He slipped away again..." The alchemist growled, cursing the boy's abnormal speed. No normal human could have avoided his vines like that... not without years of training. And yet the boy had moved with the grace of an acrobat at only five years of age... _'That child really is a monster.'_ He thought with some trepidation.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself away from the window and faced the matron of the house. The woman looked positively livid at the state of her parlor, her makeup smeared and broken. She shrieked at him, "What the HELL do you think you are doing? LOOK at what you've done to my house!" Mrs. Goodman gestured at the ropes of wood that had frozen in a haphazard mess and the side table which was utterly ruined. "I certainly HOPE you have an explanation for all of this," She hissed, striding up to the alchemist to jab him in the chest, "and I EXPECT the damages to be pai-"

The alchemist cut her off by grabbing the offending hand that had been stabbing him, "My sincerest apologies madam," Kelvin murmured in a very seductive voice, planting his lips on the claw-like appendage "But this is a matter of national security..." At her widened eyes he smiled as charmingly as a serpent. "I sincerely hope you understand that my dealings are highly classified. It would be..." His eyes flicked over to Beth who was picking up the boy's scarf and sunglasses, "unfortunate if you were to not participate." Kelvin looked back at the woman and saw her face pale considerably.

Releasing her hand, he smiled widely, "Not to worry Mrs. Goodman, I simply have some questions that I wish to have answered." He reached into his chest pocket and pulled out a pen and notepad. "If you would be so kind as to inform me... what do you know of that child's father?"

The woman gulped audibly, licking her dry lips. "There... is not much to tell. He had been loitering around here about six years ago. He had... taken a particular interest in my... sister." She looked out where the boy had fled, "Is... he really my sister's child?" Isabelle asked timidly, her previous viscous persona apparently cowed by the alchemists not-so-subtle threat.

He grinned and gave her a secretive look, "What do you think? There is a reason why I came here Mrs. Goodman," Kelvin uttered circling around her like a vulture, "and that is because you are the only remaining relative besides his father that is left. It only seemed to fit that he would eventually find his way to you." The expression on her face changed from wary to shocked fear, and she looked upon the Carpenter Alchemist with a whole new perspective. "He has... quite the uncanny skill to find what he needs."

"Only remaining relative...?" She spoke in but a whisper. "Are you saying that my sister is... is..."

"Dead." Kelvin spoke for her, his expression reflecting not an ounce of sympathy, "She passed away a few months ago from a brain aneurism." Mrs. Goodman seemed to blink sluggishly, her mind unable to fully wrap around the news as she slowly lowered herself into the nearest plush chair. Elizabeth gave a worried look to her mother as she clutched the scarf in her hands, not sure what was going on.

The child gave the alchemist a bewildered look, "W-why are you chasing..." Beth paused before the boy's name, not really sure what to call him anymore, "Ian?" She defaulted to what she knew, "D-did he do something bad?"

Smiling, Kelvin knelt down at her level and spoke, "Well its a little complicated, something a little girl like you wouldn't understand, but he ran away from home. And I was charged with getting him back."

She stared into his eyes and then took a step back, looking at her shoes, "You're lying... you're a bad man."

A look of bewilderment froze his features before he started laughing uproariously, patting the girl's head, "Hahaha! That's funny kid, but I'm an alchemist of the Amestris Military, sworn to defend the people of this fine country." He poked a thumb at his chest were medals decorated his uniform, "Believe me, I'm one of the good guys."

Still looking at her shoes, Beth furrowed her brow and clutched the scarf tighter, before bolting out the parlor door and up the stairs. After a moment, all within the room heard a door slam in the distance.

Kelvin chuckled and turned back to Isabelle, who still seemed to be reeling over the news of her sister, "Now," He spoke, "Where were we?" And slowly walked toward her.

* * *

**A/N:** See now that's not very nice... I mean I know she's an angry old biddy (thatsortofkindamolestedJaybutnotreallysorta) but that doesn't mean you have to blackmail her, GOD KELVIN!

In other news, I've gotten back into writing things again and am thinking it will be a good time to start another story! *is shot*

But seriously, I won't give up on this story. I just had some serious writers block at this part. :T


End file.
